DENVER — The Broncos failed to go all in for Travis Etienne. And look where that got them.

Six weeks into the season, the run game stinks and J.K. Dobbins has been hurt. He has not technically missed time — save for part of the second half against Jacksonville with a hamstring issue and the first quarter at San Francisco when R.J. Harvey supplanted him — but his pinky promise has only put a finger on the Broncos’ problem.

With Bo Nix in a terrifying slump and the offense in a terrible funk, there is a way the Broncos can find hope.

Trade for Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.

The Broncos foolishly let loyalty cloud their judgment this past offseason. They pursued Etienne, and when his demands reached four years, $47 million, Denver pivoted back to Dobbins. The Broncos insist he was always their top target, valuing his energy, attitude and production as they re-signed the veteran on a two-year, $16 million deal.

But Etienne was in the picture until his contract was not in the budget.

Bringing back Dobbins represented a risk.

He is always hurt, missing nine games a year ago after his encouraging start. What the Broncos did not count on is that his level of play would fall off when available.

There is no question the offensive line and the scheme deserve a chunk of the blame. It is also true that Dobbins does not look the same, his best runs showing up in bursts not quarters or halves.

He boasts 270 yards on 81 carries, his 3.3 per attempt a career-low, well shy of his previous abyss of 4.6.

A team suffocating from mediocrity — or worse — must take a big swing if general manager George Payton and coach Sean Payton still believe the Broncos can win a title.

I thought this was a Super Bowl-or-bust team. Was that an email scam? A fly phishing expedition?

At 4-2, the Broncos remain in contention, but no matter what Dobbins does Sunday against the Cardinals, they will pale in comparison to the Chiefs.

The difference? Kenneth Walker III.

He has completely changed Kansas City’s offense and outlook. He made next Sunday’s game a must-win for the Broncos if they desire to repeat as AFC West champs.

From 2018-25, the Chiefs ranked last in rushing yards and carries of more than 10 yards, while ranking 22nd in yards per carry. As they have eased Patrick Mahomes back into the fold following ACL knee surgery — nine touchdowns, three interceptions — the Chiefs sit first or second in the aforementioned ground statistics.

The Broncos did not land Etienne and barely kicked the tires on Walker. It is time to fix that mistake.

Trade for Taylor. Or admit you are not a championship contender.

Taylor has proven slump-proof. On a Colts team going nowhere without a GM and a lame duck coach, he has rushed for 492 yards — good enough for sixth in the league — and is tied with an NFL-best seven touchdowns.

As a team, the Broncos have scored 11 offensive touchdowns.

They are screaming for help, a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency jolt. Taylor can provide a lift, showcasing the skills to overcome an underperforming line better than Dobbins.

Why not wait to see what they have in Jonah Coleman? Fair question. The problem is that it usually takes running backs a few weeks, if not more, to gain traction following an ankle injury. Coleman boasts one drive and seven memorable carries on his resume.

For a team that aims to play in the Super Bowl, they cannot afford to wonder if the rookie is alright.

Taylor is a proven commodity. At 27, he has four seasons of more than 1,100 yards rushing and remains on pace for another. He galloped for 1,585 last season and 18 scores. The Broncos have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Phillip Lindsay in 2019.

According to an ESPN report, several teams have already shown interest in acquiring Taylor. Denver had better be on that list.

What is the easiest way to stop Nix’s decline?

Give him a reliable running back to take the pressure off. A threat on the ground could open up the intermediate and play-action passes that have been non-existent either because Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton aren’t winning their routes or Nix is too afraid to let it rip.

Taylor should be available — if the Colts are smart and take the $20 million cap hit this season — and is affordable. He signed a two-year, $44 million extension a few months ago, but his 2027 salary of $15 million does not become guaranteed until Feb. 19 of that year.

No matter how you view Dobbins, Taylor is an upgrade.

Of course there are reasons not to engage, to stand pat, to continue using hope as a strategy. For starters, the price will be enormous. It likely starts with a first-round pick, and would probably include a third or fourth.

To swim in those waters, the vision must be clear. Not only for the player. But his future. This should be viewed as a move for this season and two more. It should be seen as a life raft for Nix to avoid anymore slumps like his current spiral.

But to move forward, there must be a plan for usage. He becomes the bell cow. The man. The guy. The Horse, once a Colt and then a Bronco.

This seems obvious. Yet in back-to-back seasons, we have watched must-have players fade into the witness protection program. First with Evan Engram. And with Waddle this season.

There is no reason to be bold with Taylor unless they are going to make him the centerpiece of the offense.

Is that possible with the Broncos’ offensive line? Probably. And definitely if the Broncos ever figure out their run game identity and stop using a different blocking scheme on every play.

That might entail benching a player or two. So be it.

Just think of the lift Taylor would provide, the message it would send to the locker room. It would demand using 13-personnel, and fewer hockey line changes. It would call for Payton to bend to the modern NFL trend and move away from his increasingly outdated offense.

Get creative. Don’t fear reinvention.

The Broncos added Waddle, stayed loyal to everyone else, and, not surprisingly, lack the firepower to make a championship run.

The 2026 Broncos look a lot like the 2025 Broncos. The defense remains menacing. The team is similar to its predecessor in every way but one.

The offense is a mess.

If the Broncos are serious about going on a championship run, they need a championship-caliber running back.

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