Contenders, including the Broncos, may skip the big splash at the deadline

The Ravens lost with a third-string quarterback, but Palmer says they aren't blowing it up, and the Broncos may not chase the big name either

BY DENVER SPORTS

Nov 6, 2026, 12:53 PM

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Watch: James Palmer analysis: What move are the Broncos preparing to make before the trade deadline? | 14 mins

A bad loss doesn’t make a team a seller, and a loud rumor doesn’t make a team a buyer. That was the logic running through James Palmer’s trade-deadline rundown, and it started with a team many assumed was about to tear it down.

Palmer, who works Thursday night games for Prime, joined “Stokley and Evans with Mark Schlereth” the morning after the Baltimore Ravens lost to Jacksonville. They asked whether the loss signaled a fire sale of Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews and others.

The Ravens are not selling

Palmer said he didn’t get that sense, and he pointed to how the week was built. Baltimore lost both of its quarterbacks to injured reserve just days before kickoff and started a third-stringer who had never made a start.

“They knew kind of what they were getting into this week,” Palmer said.

People inside the building told him Henry isn’t going anywhere, he said. Baltimore still believes it has a good enough roster to compete in the AFC, with its divisional games bunched late. Lamar Jackson hasn’t had surgery and has no timetable, but Palmer said he was told the team isn’t giving up on a return.

“We’re not closing the door on him returning this season,” Palmer said, relaying what he heard.

Then he made a longer-term point. Trading Henry for a day three pick might not help Baltimore with its real goal, which is keeping its quarterback long term.

“Does that help you sign Lamar in the offseason?” Palmer said. “Probably not.”

The hosts agreed. At 4-5, one of them said, the Ravens aren’t that type of team.

The splash isn’t always the smart move

The Broncos are a legitimate contender, Palmer said, and contenders should be shopping. But he cautioned that the city is fixated on Jonathan Taylor, and he isn’t sure Denver is even the front-runner for the Colts running back.

The reason is price. Palmer said many contenders believe they will be good for several more years, which raises the question of whether to mortgage the future.

“The price is high for Jonathan Taylor, really high,” Palmer said.

His alternative is less exciting and, in his telling, often more useful. The Broncos are looking at several positions, including tight end, and a modest addition can matter by season’s end.

“Sometimes it may not be the huge splash, sexy move you love,” Palmer said, “but at the end of the year, you go, ‘man, I’m sure glad we added depth there.'”

Kansas City has a different problem

The Chiefs show the other side of the deadline. They need a receiver, Palmer said, and he wouldn’t be surprised if they called Jacksonville about Brian Thomas Jr. He doesn’t expect that to work, because Jacksonville doesn’t want to send him to an AFC team.

“Why make the Chiefs better?” Palmer said.

He was more struck by how Kansas City played in its loss to the Broncos. He said Chris Jones looks like he is finally showing his age, and the offensive line is unsettled. If nothing gets done by Tuesday, he said, “this might be the Chiefs team they’re rolling with.”

The Sunday variable

Palmer also said the market is still forming. Several teams with two or three wins didn’t expect to be there, and executives told him Sunday’s results will shape their plans.

That is the question under all of this. A team can sell for the future or buy for now. The harder choice is deciding which move helps this season without costing the next one.

Disclosure: This article was transcribed from our original audio content and edited for readability with the assistance of generative AI. The article has been reviewed by our editorial team prior to publication. Please watch or listen to the clip above for the full segment.