Looking at the now-passed trade deadline, the Denver Broncos reportedly failed in their interest in getting Jonathan Taylor. They apparently also kicked the tires on Tony Pollard. But running back isn’t their biggest issue. Here is the Broncos’ biggest problem to fix during their 2026 bye week.
With a record of 7-1, the Broncos stand in first place in the rugged AFC West. They have a slim one-game lead over the Chiefs (6-2). But the Broncos are in it to win it, more than just the division. They have Super Bowl vision, and that’s why they need to address this problem.
Broncos' offensive line needs to play better
Head coach Sean Payton brought the issue fully to light as the Broncos work through their bye week.
The good news is the offense overall is working better. Quarterback Bo Nix has been more steady. The Broncos have scored 30, 28, and 26 points over their last three games. And Payton said that’s the good side, according to his appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd via Sports Illustrated.
“I'm pleased with some of the change,” Payton said. “Some of the things we're doing better. There's still that yellow tape around the offense that says ‘work in progress.' It just is. And yet, I would say this: so much of what we're able to do offensively—run the ball, have balance—can really make what Bo has to do, make his job easier.”
However, the big guys in front have left Payton reasons for concern.
“Now, getting specific, like, man, I'm watching the cut-ups from the game we just played, and we didn't block them very well,” Payton said. “I’m just being honest, so that has to improve. We've got plenty of depth on the offensive line, so during this bye, we're going to look at all those little things closely because the tape that's surrounding the offense needs to come down and the family needs to move in. So that's kind of where we're at.”
Still, the Broncos’ offensive line is highly rated, according to Pro Football Focus. Denver ranks No. 4 in the NFL.
“Left tackle Garett Bolles was the only player on the Broncos' starting offensive line to earn a PFF pass-blocking grade below 65.0 in the team's Week 9 road win over the Carolina Panthers,” Gordon McGuinness wrote. “His 57.5 PFF pass-blocking grade in the game was his lowest since Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. However, his 80.5 PFF pass-blocking grade for the season still ranks seventh among left tackles, so this past week's performance shouldn't be viewed as a major concern.”
If Payton can get the offensive line back on a good track, the Broncos could surge into the postseason. The run blocking has been the biggest problem. Denver ranks No. 26 in the NFL with only 91.4 yards rushing per game.
And that’s with running back Jonah Coleman looking better weekly. If they can turn him loose with better blocking, the Broncos are going to be a lot tougher for teams to defend.
Broncos still relying on QB Bo Nix
It has been a struggle this season for Nix. He ranks No. 30 among quarterbacks in the NFL, according to PFF.
For the season, he has thrown for 11 touchdowns, 1,730 yards, and has been picked off four times. However, Nix has been trending upward. And he’s looking for a good reset during the bye week, according to broncoswire.com.
“I love the bye week,” said Nix. “The bye week is awesome. You get stuck in Groundhog Day over time, doing the same thing over and over every week. I can tell you exactly what I'm doing every day of the week, so this will be a good break, good rest for us. We all feel really good about it, feel like we need it, our coaches.
“Players will get some rest, and then we'll start right back up next week with our next opponent. It's just going to be a good time to relax and also debrief and look back at a few things and just have a great breakdown and sort of digest where we've been and what we're doing and where we want to go.”
It's an important thing for the offense. Get the offensive line working better together with themselves and Nix. The defense is doing its thing. So if Payton can coach up the offense, this could give the Broncos another path to moving toward the Super Bowl.