Breaking: Broncos Acquire WR Jaylen Waddle in Blockbuster Deal
Mar 17, 2026, 9:59 AM
After a slow start to NFL free agency, the Denver Broncos acquired wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in a trade with the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday.
Trade details
Denver receives: Jaylen Waddle and Miami’s fourth-round pick
Miami receives: Denver’s first-round pick (No. 30 overall), plus third- and fourth-round picks
Broncos fans grew frustrated last week when Denver became the only NFL team that had not signed a free agent from another roster. The team did re-sign key players from last season, including Alex Singleton, Ja’Quan McMillian, Justin Strnad and J.K. Dobbins, who agreed to a two-year deal.
The move adds a weapon to the wide receiver room for quarterback Bo Nix as he returns from a broken ankle. Waddle brings big-play ability and yards-after-catch potential.
Waddle signed a three-year, $84.75 million extension in 2024 that keeps him under contract through 2028.
Will Peterson of Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan broke down what Waddle brings to the Broncos:
“Waddle has spent the first five seasons of his career with the Dolphins, catching 373 passes for more than 5,000 yards and 26 touchdowns. In 2025 he had 64 catches for 910 yards and six touchdowns.
The 27-year-old played his college football at the University of Alabama and was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He and Tyreek Hill formed one of the scariest duos in the league for a time in Miami, but now Hill has been released and Waddle traded to Denver.
It gives QB Bo Nix a huge additional weapon on offense to go along with the likes of Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., Pat Bryant, Evan Engram and others.
Payton and Paton may not have signed an outside free agent this offseason, but Waddle is a massive addition. Essentially, it cost a first-round and third-round selection, but Broncos Country will love the move.
For a team that was on the verge of the Super Bowl last season, Waddle might be the missing piece that gets Denver over the top.”
