Despite the return of rookie running back Jonah Coleman, the Denver Broncos are keeping one eye on the NFL trade market 11 days ahead of the deadline.

The Indianapolis Colts' fire sale is on; they've already dealt away All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and Pro Bowl defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. All eyes are now on star running back Jonathan Taylor, including those of the Broncos, according to NFL On Prime insider James Palmer.

"They are one of the teams, I'm told, that is monitoring the Jonathan Taylor situation. It's more than likely he stays there in Indianapolis, but they are keeping an eye there," Palmer said of the Broncos.

This isn't the first we've heard of a Broncos-Taylor connection. Before last week's game against the Arizona Cardinals, Adam Schefter linked the Broncos to Indy's Pro Bowl running back.

Why Denver is Interested

Entering Week 8's rematch with the Chiefs, the Broncos' run game ranks 24th in the NFL, averagin 94.9 yards per game. The Broncos believe their rushing struggles are largely attributed to the tough slate of elite defenses they faced through the first six weeks of the season, including top running back J.K. Dobbins.

There could be some truth to that, as the Broncos' ground attack finally showed some signs of life last week against the Arizona Cardinals, whose defense is not ranked high. However, there was a big outlier play in Bo Nix's 62-yard touchdown run.

Corresponding to Denver's improved rushing efficiency last week as the return of Coleman from injured reserve. He led the team in rushing and snaps, averaging 6.0 yards per carry on nine totes. Dobbins took a back seat to the rookie last week, but the veteran assured reporters on Thursday that he's not upset or dissatisfied with his current role, and cares only about winning.

Coleman certainly added a different energy and burst to the Broncos' offense, and it's likely the front office will be watching to see if the rookie and Dobbins can show some more signs of life between now and November 10 before making a decision on potentially pursuing a trade.

Sean Payton has always implemented a running-back-by-committee approach, and even though the Broncos just paid Dobbins, it's still been a rotation. If you trade for Taylor, though, you're wanting to keep him on the field and get your money's worth, but then again, putting him at the top of a committee, with the lion's share of the touches, could help preserve his health and extend his career.

Taylor's Contract

Taylor would be costly, not only to acquire from the Colts, but he just signed a two-year, $44 million extension before the season started. He has a $16.1 million cap number this season. However, his cap numbers climb to $21 million and $22.98 million in 2027 and 2028, respectively.

The Broncos have a couple years left of cost control on Nix, even if they opt to sign him to an extension next offseason when he becomes eligible, so if they team was of a mind to go all-in, it could find room for Taylor. It really would come down to whether the Broncos believed Taylor would be the missing piece to put them over the top.

The three-time Pro Bowler and former NFL rushing champion is a great player, and if there's anything that coud hold back the Broncos from achieving their goals this season, it would be their bottom-10 rushing attack. Taylor would upgrade that immediately, and give Nix a proven foundation to build on.

Taylor and Dobbins are roughly the same age (27). Both will turn 28 in the not too distant future, so the Broncos would have to factor in his age and the high amount of wear-and-tear on Taylor's tires.

The Takeaway

As we're seeing around the league, the contenders are swinging for the fences ahead of the deadline. The Chicago Bears gave up multiple first-round picks for Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, while the Seattle Seahawks just landed Nelson, and the San Francisco 49ers acquired Buckner.

The Broncos plan to be contenders now and in the future, but if they really want to capitalize on what remains of Nix's rookie contract, a big move like trading for Taylor would make sense. But it would be contingent on how the next two games unfold for Dobbins and Coleman.

If it's more rushing inconsistencies, it wouldn't shock me to see the Broncos swing for the fences on Taylor. The Broncos have two games between now and the deadline — the Chiefs this week and the Carolina Panthers next — but depending on the market for Taylor, they may not have the luxury of waiting until after Week 9 to make a decision.

That's why the Broncos are, ostensibly, monitoring the Taylor situation. Stay tuned.