The Broncos should be heavily considering adding Jonathan Taylor

Jonah Coleman led the backfield in Sunday's 28-24 win over Kansas City, but with RJ Harvey on IR and J.K. Dobbins fading, the morning show thinks Denver needs a proven lead back like Jonathan Taylor

BY JOEY FREEBURG

Nov 2, 2026, 11:43 AM

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Watch: If they Broncos have a chance to get Jonathan Taylor, they should take it! | Stokley and Evans with Mark Schlereth | 25 seconds

Jonah Coleman led the backfield in Sunday’s 28-24 win over Kansas City, but with RJ Harvey on IR and J.K. Dobbins fading, the morning show thinks Denver needs a proven lead back like Jonathan Taylor.

The Broncos beat the Chiefs 28-24 on Sunday and took first place in the AFC West. At 6-2, they evened the season series with Kansas City and made up for the 31-10 loss in the opener. The win also showed how much the running back room has changed since September.

Jonah Coleman, the fourth-round rookie who stood out in training camp, led the backfield. He ran 11 times for 41 yards and a touchdown and added 4 catches for 63 yards. J.K. Dobbins, who started the season as the lead back, had 7 carries for 13 yards. RJ Harvey is on injured reserve.

That has brought Jonathan Taylor back into the conversation. The Colts running back is reportedly available in trade talks. On a recent edition of “Stokley and Evans, with Mark Schlereth” on 104.3 The Fan, Schlereth said the Broncos should make the move.

“With the way this roster’s constructed right now, if you can go out and get Jonathan Taylor, you go out and get Jonathan Taylor,” Schlereth said.

Jonathan Taylor is 27, a three-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All-Pro. He has carried an offense before. Denver arguably hasn’t had a back like that since 2018 Phillip Lindsay who was a Pro-Bowler as an undrafted rookie. Dobbins averaged 3.5 yards per carry through the first three games, and Sunday’s 13 yards on 7 carries suggests he has fallen behind Coleman. Harvey’s injury leaves the room thinner still.

Schlereth isn’t saying Coleman has failed. He thinks Coleman’s best skill is a reason to add Jonathan Taylor.

“Now, one thing that Jonah Coleman’s proven, man that dude is good in the passing game. I mean he’s just an all-around good back, but he’s good in the passing game,” Schlereth said.

Coleman’s 63 receiving yards against the Chiefs were more than he gained on the ground. He has caught the ball well since the preseason, and Cecil Lammey said this summer that Coleman and Harvey were the backs Denver should use as receivers, not Dobbins. With Harvey out, Coleman can fill that role. The problem is that he’s also being asked to be the lead runner, which is a lot to put on a rookie in the middle of a playoff push.

Schlereth laid out how the backfield could look with Jonathan Taylor.

“So, if you wanted to give him the R.J Harvey role while R.J Harvey’s on IR, and you move on from Dobbins. You gotta be in that,” Schlereth said.

Jonathan Taylor would handle early downs and short-yardage carries. Coleman would move into the receiving role Harvey had before his injury. Dobbins, whose injury history and drop in production have been concerns all season, would no longer be needed at the top of the depth chart.

The move would also help Bo Nix. Joel Klatt said recently that Nix plays best when the offense can run play-action, bootlegs and RPOs, and that he struggles to win on straight dropbacks without a running game. Those plays only work when defenses respect the run. A back like Taylor would force linebackers to step up and pull safeties toward the line, which would open more throwing lanes for Nix.

There would be a real cost. The Colts won’t give Jonathan Taylor away, and Denver would likely have to give up meaningful draft picks. Schlereth’s argument is that the timing is right. The Broncos lead the division, have one of the league’s best defenses and are early in their championship window with Nix still on his rookie contract. Adding Taylor would give Denver the steady running game it hasn’t had this season.

Coleman has shown he belongs in this offense. Schlereth thinks he’d be even more useful with Jonathan Taylor carrying the load beside him.