The Denver Broncos certainly didn’t envision the struggles that they have had since 2022 with the moves that they made. Acquiring Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks was supposed to make them contenders in the AFC, but his first season with the team was a mitigated disaster as Nathaniel Hackett was fired before he completed one season as head coach.

Hackett was part of this season’s dismal start, as he oversaw a New York Jets offense that defeated the Broncos 31-21 in Week 5. That loss dropped Denver to 1-4, which has a lot of people questioning how things will look in the coming weeks.

Will the Broncos go into a full-on teardown? They have already begun moving on from some veterans this season, trading Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers. More than likely, he won’t be the last player on the move.

Given their record, and the draft capital they have traded away, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them try and recoup some assets. In the first season under Sean Payton, they could look to flip more of the roster from the previous regimes.

However, the head coach doesn’t seem to love the idea of tearing things down ahead of the deadline. While teams can call the Broncos, it doesn’t mean they are going to be making deals, or trading away players for future assets.

“[General manager George Paton] and I talk every day, 3, 4 times a day,” said Payton, per Mike Klis of 9News. “We’re not looking to do business with any of our players. That doesn’t prevent teams from calling. We pick the phone up but that’s where it’s at.”

That is the same sentiment that he had during the offseason when trade rumors swirled. However, if the Broncos lose the next three games ahead of the October 31st deadline, his tenor could change.

That is certainly a feasible outcome as the Broncos will be playing against the Kansas City Chiefs twice with a meeting against the Green Bay Packers sandwiched between. No one is going to give them much of a chance against their AFC West rivals, but a home loss to the Packers would likely be the nail in the coffin.

If they enter the deadline, coincidentally their bye week as well, 1-7, there should be some major changes made. Going nowhere fast, shaking up the roster and acquiring some long-term assets would make the most sense even if Payton is hesitant to do so currently.