The 2026 NFL trade deadline has come and gone, and for the Denver Broncos, it ended up being a quieter-than-expected day. Despite being involved in a handful of rumors, the Broncos ended up making just one move, which saw them acquire linebacker Daiyan Henley in a deal with their division rival, the Los Angeles Chargers.
Over the past few weeks, Denver found itself at the center of the trade saga revolving around Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. While several teams showed interest in Taylor, the Colts ended up holding onto him, but according to a new report, it sounds like the Broncos made a late push for the All-Pro running back.
Broncos Reportedly Made Late Push for Jonathan Taylor Trade
The Colts were the big seller at this year’s deadline, as they parted with four key players who were on expiring contracts for them. The front office reportedly listened to offers on several other players, with Taylor and quarterback Daniel Jones being among that group. Taylor was the biggest trade candidate across the league, but he remains in Indianapolis heading into Week 10.
When considering the struggles of their rushing attack, it wasn’t much of a surprise to see the Broncos were among the suitors for Taylor’s services. Jonah Coleman appears to have leapt past JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey on the running back depth chart, but even then, acquiring a more established option at this spot would have made a lot of sense.
Taylor would have been a big upgrade over all of these guys, but ultimately, Indy’s sky-high asking price for him scared the majority of its suitors away. In Denver’s case, though, its failed pursuit of Taylor wasn’t due to a lack of effort, as NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN revealed that the team made a late push to land the three-time Pro Bowler.
“My sense in talking to teams is that Indy wanted at least a first-round equivalent in any package, and interested teams couldn’t get there,” Fowler reported. “I believe Denver gave it a run this week but wasn’t comfortable with the return Indianapolis was seeking.”
Did the Broncos Make a Mistake by Not Trading for Jonathan Taylor?
Indianapolis reportedly wanted a first-round pick (or a haul of picks that amounted to that sort of value) in exchange for Taylor, but it couldn’t find a team willing to part with that sort of draft capital. Denver tried to find a way to make this deal work, but at the end of the day, the two sides were unable to find the sort of common ground needed to get a deal done.
Could missing out on Taylor come back to bite the Broncos? There’s obviously a decent amount of risk tied to passing on a player of his caliber, but the team appears to have found the answer to its rushing woes in Coleman, so giving him an opportunity to take the reins makes sense. With Taylor no longer an option, Denver will continue to lean on Coleman when the team returns to action in Week 11 after its bye week for a divisional clash with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Insider Shares Unexpected News on Broncos’ Jonathan Taylor Trade Pursuit