The Denver Broncos might not have a few weeks to decide if they have what they need at running back — the market might be robust enough that they need to make a move to trade for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor before the November 10 NFL trade deadline.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler named the Broncos the top fit for Taylor, a 3-time Pro Bowler who appears to be part of the Colts’ stunning fire sale that saw a pair of NFL All-Pros, offensive guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, traded on Tuesday.
“Teams I’ve talked to aren’t totally sold that Indianapolis will trade Taylor despite heavy interest — at least not yet,” Fowler wrote on October 28. “He is signed long term and would be a boon for next year’s coaching staff, whether it’s the current group or entirely new. But what Kenneth Walker III has done for Kansas City shows how a premier running back can put on new jersey colors and immediately reimagine a team’s season. And the tenor of Indy’s season is getting ugly, which affects all key players and could spark even more movement.”
Taylor is arguably the NFL’s best running back. He’s averaging 109.3 total yards per game, leads the NFL with 8 rushing touchdowns, and can do everything on the field — something the Broncos sorely lack.
Report: Broncos Already Circling Jonathan Taylor
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport have already named the Broncos as one of the teams circling a trade for Taylor.
Schefter and Rapoport reported that the Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Minnesota Vikings are chasing Taylor. The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones added the New York Giants to the list of “possible suitors.”
According to Rapoport, the Colts are 2-4 and face a “three-game season” that will determine whether they are indeed sellers at the trade deadline.
“The Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Vikings are among the teams that have pondered, or are expected to consider, the possibility of a trade for the star running back, according to sources,” Schefter and Rapoport wrote on Sunday morning.
Jonathan Taylor: Elite RB on Terrible Team
Taylor, 5-foot-10 and 226 pounds, has toiled as one of the NFL’s elite running backs on one of the league’s worst teams and worst-run franchises since the Colts drafted him in the 2nd round (No. 41 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft after a record-setting career at Wisconsin.
As a rookie, Taylor rushed for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns in 15 games before leading the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns in 2021 with 1,851 yards and 18 touchdowns.
After two injury-riddled seasons in 2022 and 2023, Taylor bounced back in a big way, rushing for 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2024 and 1,585 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns in 2025.
Broncos Called ‘Top Trade Fit’ for 3-Time Pro Bowl RB