Free agency began a week ago, and the only team that has not made an outside signing is the Denver Broncos. This has been a very confusing process for fans and people around the Broncos, given that the team was just one game away from the Super Bowl.
One of the weakest position groups on the roster was the wide receiver, and in free agency, they did not address it. Well, instead of signing a player, the Broncos just made a blockbuster trade for Miami Dolphins star Jaylen Waddle.
Broncos and HC Sean Payton Make Massive Move for Star WR Jaylen Waddle
With Sean Payton as the Broncos’ head coach, there’s a history of him being fine with not adding high-end talent to the WR room, aside from the draft. Payton is very confident in making the offense work because of his offensive mind, but WR was such an issue on this roster that it felt like something could still happen.
That is where Waddle comes into play, and in this trade, the Broncos have sent their 1st-round pick (30th), a 4th-round pick, and a 5th-round pick for Waddle and a 4th-round pick.
Broncos are trading for Miami WR Jaylen Waddle, per source.
Denver receives: Waddle and Dolphins’ 4th-round pick (11th in round) in this year’s draft.
Miami receives: Broncos’ 1st round pick (30th overall) along with their late 3rd and 4th round picks (30th in each round) in…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2026
With QB Bo Nix entering his third year, getting him some more weapons to throw to made sense, and with this trade, the Broncos are adding the 22nd-best WR last season, per PFSN’s WR Impact Metric.
This ranking may not look like enough to give up a first-round pick for, but Waddle is a WR1-level player. He has just been behind Tyreek Hill for much of the past 4 seasons. Also, he has had underwhelming QB play from Tua Tagovailoa, so now, he should be the top option in Denver.
Looking at the current Broncos WR room, Waddle joins Cortland Sutton, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Sutton will form an excellent duo with Waddle, and they complement each other’s games really well.
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After missing the Super Bowl last season, this move could be the one to get the Broncos there in 2026.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
