Does Broncos standing pat at trade deadline signal they're preparing for improbable playoff push?

Surprisingly, the Denver Broncos were inactive before the trade deadline on Tuesday.

Although many in league circles reportedly believed the Broncos (3-5) were in "sell mode," they made no deals. Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post reported the team listened to trade offers, including ones for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. But it felt that keeping the roster together was a better idea.

So, does Denver believe it no longer needs to rebuild and can make an improbable postseason push?

"Most advanced metrics say Denver's playoff chances are somewhere around six percent, and their next opponent — at Buffalo on Monday, Nov. 13 — is a tall test," wrote Gabriel. "But [head coach Sean] Payton's expressed confidence in this group so far, and now they'll see if they can make a run."

In Week 8, the Broncos snapped a 16-game losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs — the defending Super Bowl champions — and regained confidence.

"I think it makes us believers," right tackle Mike McGlinchey said of the upset, via the team's website. "I truly do. I think this is a win that can really do something for an organization — to take down the defending champs to have it be our second [win] in a row at home."

Yet a miraculous turnaround seems improbable. Denver still has issues on both sides of the ball, as it's 16th in the NFL in points scored (21.5) and 29th in points allowed (28.3). Also, not acquiring more draft capital was somewhat foolish. Per Tankathon, Denver only has two picks through the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Regardless, the Broncos appear to be gearing up for a late playoff push. However, if it misses the postseason for an eighth consecutive season, the franchise should move players and acquire more draft picks when the trade window reopens.