The Denver Broncos won their last game before the NFL trade deadline, defeating the Carolina Panthers on the road, 26-21.

The Broncos are now winners of five in a row, and sit at 7-2 atop the AFC West. This team is in position to compete for the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed, so if Denver is going to do anything at the NFL trade deadline, it's going to be a big purchase.

If anything, the Broncos will be buyers, and Sunday's game in Carolina may have changed the club's trade outlook ahead of Tuesday's 2 p.m. MDT deadline. Let's examine.

Jonah Coleman Needs Help

Coleman was a difference-maker once again. The rookie has clearly and soundly leapfrogged J.K. Dobbins as the Broncos' RB1, but since Coleman has already spent four weeks on injured reserve this season, the front office has to understand that it may be too much, too soon to expect him to carry the full load.

Relying on a rookie down the stretch didn't work out well for Denver last year, though Coleman is a very different back than RJ Harvey. It's still a cautionary tale.

Dobbins is a shell of his 2025 self, for whatever reason, and only carried the ball four times against the Panthers to Coleman's 17 totes. It seems the Broncos are in for a dime, in for a dollar on Dobbins this year, relative to the two-year extension they signed him to, but it doesn't appear that he's suddenly going to return to form.

We're halfway through the season, after all. The trade deadline hits on Tuesday, and then the Broncos are on bye. If they're going to work in a new backfield weapon, this is the time to do it.

Does that mean swing for the RB1 fences and pay the price to get Jonathan Taylor in Denver? He's certainly an experienced and decorated back who can create for himself as a runner, but he'd be costly. The Indianapolis Colts are looking for first-round value in a potential Taylor trade.

Or maybe it's a lesser expenditure to target a back like Tennessee's Tony Pollard. Maybe the Broncos call about Breece Hall, even though the New York Jets claim they're not interested in trading him. It's a game of poker, at the end of the day.

Another option is Baltimore's Derrick Henry. One thing all these backs have in common, though? Their teams are done for this year, and most of them will be looking for the assets and resources to effectuate a rebuild.

A savvy GM like George Paton should be able to exploit that desparation.

Tight End Still On the Table

The Broncos checked on Trey McBride's availability, per Adam Schefter, though the Arizona Cardinals rebuffed Denver's "ambitious" phone call. McBride is more of a pass-catching tight end, and arguably the best in the business in that department, but the Broncos may be more in need of a blocker at the position.

Adam Trautman and Evan Engram have been two of the primary culprits behind the Broncos' rushing inefficiencies, but there are blocking tight ends out there who could be quite affordable. Our Erick Trickel pointed to Carolina's Mitchell Evans and Tommy Tremble, as well as Indianapolis' Moe Alie-Cox, none of whom would cost an arm and a leg.

There's an arguement to be made that upgrading the tight end position's blocking acumen would have a greater net-positive impact than trading for an offensive lineman or even a running back. I think the right running back would offer the best potential of helping Denver get over the hump in the playoffs, but the Broncos have options.

Don't Rule Out O-Line

I honestly don't expect the Broncos to move off the players who make up their starting five, including left guard Ben Powers, who's in a contract year. Powers was atrocious against the Panthers, allowing penetration that led to multiple tackles for a loss in the ground game.

But he's beloved in the Broncos' locker room by players and coaches alike. And the Broncos have a succession plan in place in the form of 2026 fourth-rounder Kage Casey, so why would they go give up premium draft capital to acquire a veteran who would negate their recent draft investment?

ESPN has linked Philadelphia's Landon Dickerson to Denver — a three-time Pro Bowler — and while he'd be a day-one upgrade over Powers, I just don't see the Broncos making that move. But if the Broncos don't trade for an offensive lineman, Sean Payton has to get to the bottom of his starting five's alarming inefficiency as run blockers.

Averaging 3.0 yards per rush, as the Broncos did in Carolina, simply won't suffice down the stretch, let alone in the playoffs. Coleman is a burst of energy and production, but he can only do so much to elevate this run game when he's getting met in the backfield the second the hand-off is made.

The Takeaway

If the Broncos do anything, it'll be trading for a running back. At this stage, it's got to be Taylor or bust. Pollard and Henry would be a nice consolation prize, and a clear improvement to the room, but of the running backs we know are available, only Taylor can create on his own.

That's a must-have attribute, given the continued run-blocking woes of Denver's O-line and tight ends. Imagine Taylor and Coleman in the Broncos' backfield.

The Broncos would be loaded for bear on this hunt down the stretch.