The truth about Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is that he might already be considered one of the NFL’s elite players if not for a few things completely out of his control.

The first is the trade that brought wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins in a 2022 trade with the Kansas City Chiefs — a move that’s essentially relegated Waddle to the WR2 role the last 4 seasons.

The second is the player taken just 1 spot ahead of him in the 2021 NFL draft — college teammate and Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — who has fed the dutiful Waddle 1 Murder Ball after another the last 4 years.

Put Waddle in the right situation for the 1st time in his career, pairing him with a competent quarterback and good head coach, and the feeling is the sky might be the limit for the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

“The Denver Broncos may have to overpay in draft compensation to acquire Waddle, but it may be worth it while in a Super Bowl window,” Moton wrote. “The Broncos need more big plays in the passing game. Courtland Sutton averaged 13.7 yards per catch, but Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., and Evan Engram all averaged fewer than 11 yards per grab. As a rookie, Pat Bryant averaged 12.2 yards per reception, but he struggled to stay healthy late in the season.”

Broncos Almost Traded for Waddle in 2025

We all found after the fact, but the Broncos almost made a blockbuster trade for Waddle at the 2025 trade deadline but balked at the price. It’s fair to say making that move might have ended up being the difference between the Broncos making it to the Super Bowl.

In a 10-7 home loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, the Broncos were in desperate need of a downfield threat. That could have been Waddle.

“The Broncos and a few other teams reached out to — and monitored — the Dolphins about WR Jaylen Waddle, but no deal will get done,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account. “Miami’s asking price was simply too high, per sources.”

Waddle has been one of the NFL’s best wide receivers since his rookie season and signed a 3-year, $84.75 million contract extension in March 2024. In 5 NFL seasons, Waddle has had over 1,000 receiving yards 3 times, including 75 receptions for a career high 1,356 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns in 2022.

In 2025, Waddle had 64 receptions for 910 yards and 6 touchdowns in 16 games.

Broncos Could Clean House in WR Room

Broncos head coach Sean Payton was particularly critical of his wide receivers following the end of the season, going so far as to say they didn’t know how to properly catch passes — literally going so far as to say they don’t know how to bring their thumbs together to make a catch.

As for most things with Payton, it wasn’t just words. He fired longtime offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, and also fired wide receivers coach Keary Colbert.