With the Denver Broncos pursuing a Super Bowl title in 2026, no expense can be spared.
The NFL trade deadline is on November 10, which also happens to be during the team's bye week. The Broncos have an opportunity to strike while the iron is hot, take advantage of teams who are selling at the deadline, and upgrade their roster as they work toward the ultimate goal.
And they might be able to form the best offensive guard duo in the NFL in the process.
One player whose name has come up a lot in trade deadline discussions is Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson, one of the best players in the league at the guard position and a free agent at the end of the season. Even if the price to get him is steep, he would address the Broncos' biggest (and most obvious) weakness on the offensive side of the ball.
Quenton Nelson would be a Super Bowl swing for the Denver Broncos at the trade deadline
The Broncos could be a great landing spot for a couple of players on the Indianapolis Colts ahead of the NFL trade deadline, especially running back Jonathan Taylor. With the regression we've seen in 2026 from JK Dobbins, going after Taylor could still make some sense for Denver.
But offensive linemen like Nelson don't really become available that often.
It's much harder to find elite offensive guards than it is to find elite running backs, and the Broncos might have a good one on their hands in Jonah Coleman. Even though two games from Coleman shouldn't take the team out of the running for a player of Jonathan Taylor's caliber in a Super Bowl window, the idea of getting Nelson on this offensive line for the foreseeable future is too tempting to ignore.
Having Nelson at the left guard position and Quinn Meinerz at the right guard position would give the Broncos the undisputed best guard duo in the NFL. It hasn't been a good season from Ben Powers so far, and after taking a pay cut in the offseason, it's become abundantly clear that Powers is not going to be the solution much longer.
Many in Broncos Country have even been suggesting that the Broncos turn to Alex Palczewski at the left guard position for some type of solution.
Yes, it would cost valuable draft capital, but to have this caliber of player available at guard fits in line with the Broncos' team-building philosophy perfectly. In fact, Sean Payton said as recently as his Monday conference call:
“I think the quickest way to improve your team is in the kicking game and then in your defensive and offensive fronts."
- Sean Payton (via Broncos PR)
When Payton got to Denver, his first order of business was to upgrade both sides of the line. The Broncos spent a ton of money in his first free agency with the team on players like Mike McGlinchey, Zach Allen, and Ben Powers. Although Powers is struggling lately, he was a massive upgrade for the team at the time.
Now, the cycle continues.
If Nelson is available for a Day 2 pick, the Broncos have legitimately zero reason to scoff at it. They have shown this season that they don't care to play rookies anyway. Nelson is only 30 years old, and while he would also require a long-term extension, investing in the offensive line is exactly what the Broncos want and need to keep doing.
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