The Denver Broncos are close to contention if you ask me. This team has now won three games in a row and could get to 5-2 with a win in Week 7 over the New York Giants. The NFL trade deadline in 2025 is on November 4th, so it's less than a month away.
The Broncos would be wise to hit the trade market to try and find some realistic upgrades at a couple of positions. With the AFC also being pretty open, the time is now to make a move to perhaps push the roster over the edge. We've listed out 10 potential players the Broncos should keep in mind.
Many of these players were taken from this list, first from Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The Denver Broncos should keep tabs on certain players as the trade deadline looms
Joel Bitonio, OG, Cleveland Browns
Joel Bitonio flirted with retirement this past offseason and is also in the final year of his deal. It's not hard to see how this could be his last year in the NFL. The Pro Bowl guard has been with the Browns his entire career and could instantly slide in at LG for the Broncos until Ben Powers gets back. A Bitonio trade seems realistic.
Ethan Pocic, C, Cleveland Browns
Another Browns' OL player who could be on the move is Ethan Pocic. Also in the last year of his deal, the long-time center has played both guard spots before and would be a solid upgrade over Luke Wattenberg. He also might cost a late-round pick, if that.
Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints
Rashid Shaheed is one of the fastest men in the NFL and is someone who can stretch the field. His contract expires at the end of the 2025 NFL Season, and he's someone who could become a massive difference-maker for Denver on offense, as he'd open up the field and allow the other WRs to feast on more underneath routes.
Demario Davis, LB, New Orleans Saints
Signed by Sean Payton and the Saints years ago, Demario Davis is still playing at a high level and is a logical fit for the Broncos at ILB even with Dre Greenlaw in the picture. He's been one of the best linebackers of this generation and is as reliable as they come.
Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
Chris Olave had two-straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his NFL career, but failed to reach that mark in 2024 due to some injuries. He's a good, reliable player who also might need a fresh start. The Broncos have been among the healthiest teams in the league since Sean Payton took over, and Olave is a sharp route-runner and someone who has produced at a high level in this league.
Chig Okonkwo, TE, Tennessee Titans
One of the many Tennessee Titans players brought in by the previous regime, Chig Okonkwo saw the Titans take a rookie TE in Gunnar Helm in the 2025 NFL Draft a few months ago. Okonkwo is a reliable receiving option at the position and still has a bit of youth on his side, so Denver could lay the groundwork at the position with a move like this.
Cody Barton, LB, Tennessee Titans
I have no idea how common it's been to see a team trade for a player they let leave in free agency in the previous season, but Cody Barton signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency and is having another solid season. Denver could right this wrong and see if they can bring Barton back into the mix and pair him with Dre Greenlaw when he returns.
Logan Wilson, LB, Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have lost four games in a row and are clearly now in a lost season. Trey Hendrickson could be the primary player on the move here, but if Hendrickson gets dealt, I'd have to think that other players could be had as well. Wilson's contract is both tradeable and manageable for the Bengals to trade and the Broncos to acquire. He'd be the best linebacker on the roster right now until Greenlaw returns.
Quincy Williams, LB, New York Jets
Yet another linebacker on this list, Quincy Williams is injured right now but could be back in the coming weeks. He's a free agent this coming offseason, and the Jets did just re-sign ILB Jamien Sherwood. It's not likely that Williams is brought back considering the Jets have a plethora of other positions to fix in 2026 and beyond.
The lone winless team in the NFL right now, I would have to imagine that just about anyone on this team could be had for the right price.
Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
I saved the most unlikely one for last, but hear me out...
Breece Hall is in the final year of his rookie contract and has honestly wasted away on the New York Jets. He's a very good, dual-threat running back who has rushed for 2,743 yards and 14 touchdowns on a healthy 4.6 yards per carry across his career.
He's on pace for 1,161 yards this year, which would be a career high. Furthermore, he's caught 169 passes for 1,442 yards and has a whopping 4,185 scrimmage yards in 46 career games. That's an average of 91 yards per game.
With the way things are trending, Breece Hall is not going to be re-signed in the offseason and is very likely going to be traded in the coming weeks. Well, why not the Denver Broncos? Hall is actually younger than rookie RB RJ Harvey, so there's one reason.
Secondly, Hall is obviously the better player and is someone who fits a Sean Payton offense nicely. Thirdly, the Jets' GM is Darren Mougey, and he previously spent years in the Denver Broncos' front office, so GM George Paton has a direct connection.
Lastly, the Broncos need another difference-maker on offense, and the potential for a one-two punch of Breece Hall and JK Dobbins could give the Broncos a ton of advantages over their opponents. The Jets would also receive RJ Harvey back in this hypothetical deal I have in my brain, so they'd get a cost-controlled running back for another three seasons.