One insider doubled down on what they believe it would cost the Denver Broncos or any other interest team to acquire Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor in a trade before the 2026 deadline on November 10.
They also offered strong commentary about the Broncos making such a decision.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter joined 92.5 FM Altitude Sports Radio and laid out his expectation for the kind of package it would take to pry Taylor loose from Indianapolis.
“I think it’s going to be similar to what the 49ers traded to the Carolina Panthers for Christian McCaffrey, which was a 2, 3, 4, 5, which a 3, 4, 5 really is first-round draft capital,” Schefter said on “Moser, Lombardi & Kane” on November 2. “If a team were willing to offer a 1 and something, it would probably get it done.”
However, the conversation then turned to how motivated a team like the Broncos should be and if the time to strike is now, given that the Colts are enduring the kind of season they are and that expectations could change in 2027.
“You could say that, I think, every year there’s a team that feels like it’s close. Last year, the Colts felt like they were close, and they traded two 1s for Sauce Gardener. How’d that work out? A couple of years back, the Commanders were in a great spot. They traded a second-round draft pick for Marshon Lattimore. They felt like that was their time to strike,” Schefter said.
“These trades don’t always work out.”
Broncos Get Clear Message From Insider Amid Jonathan Taylor Interest
“As great as Jonathan Taylor is–and he’s great, okay–I liked what I saw from Jonah Coleman yesterday. I got no problem holding onto my picks and riding the young guy, and leaning into J.K. [Dobbins]. J.K., I don’t know if he’s fully healthy. RJ Harvey eventually comes back, on short-term IR. I don’t know. Would JT make a difference? Definitely, he’s a great back.
“But like I said, I think they think–I think they think they have something with Jonah Coleman. And before I gave up a lot of draft capital, I think I’d want to see that a little bit.”
Coleman rushed for 41 yards and 1 touchdowns on 11 carries, adding 63 yards on four receptions in the win over the Kansas City Chiefs. There has been no official word about how much time Harvey will miss beyond the mandatory four games on IR.
The intrigue around the Broncos possibly adding Taylor in a trade has only continued to build.
Denver Could Encounter Crowded Bidding War
Asked to frame the Broncos’ interest in a trade for Taylor, Schefter expanded his response to include the other rumored suitors and teams that could get into the mix.
“I just think that there are a bunch of teams that have checked in on him. It’s hard to categorize that, and I think these things are fluid,” Schefter said. “Yesterday, the Colts looked terrible team. Looked like they didn’t want to play football. Do they now ramp up calls on Jonathan Taylor? And a team like Denver plays well, wins the game. Jonah [Coleman], does that temper any enthusiasm that Denver would have had? Or because you win, does it increase it? I don’t know.
“Minnesota loses do they step up effort? You can do this with every team. So–Josh Jacobs, we don’t know what’s going to happen there. Does Green Bay now step up and say, ‘We need a running back here. We gotta get this done.’ The league changes week to week all the time.”
Broncos Get Insider Message on Potential Jonathan Taylor Trade