Broncos' Jaylen Waddle Trade Praised by NFL Exec, 'Perfect' Fit with Sean Payton, Bo Nix Offense

One month away from the start of NFL training camps, executives are looking back at the biggest moves from the offseason to determine their favorites.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, one personnel executive for a team praised the Denver Broncos' acquisition of Jaylen Waddle as a "perfect" fit for Sean Payton's offense:

"The move just makes a lot of sense for them because of the player fit. He's perfect for Sean; a good route runner who can get in and out of his breaks in the short-to-intermediate area and can also get loose deep. They gave up a lot for him, but they targeted a player they needed and made it happen."

Denver gave up three draft picks, including the No. 30 selection in 2026, to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Waddle and a fourth-round pick.

The trade is an all-in move for a Broncos team that could reasonably argue they would have made the Super Bowl last season if Bo Nix had not fractured his ankle during the AFC Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills.

Giving up a first-round pick is a steep price to pay, especially for a team that has now only picked in the first round twice since 2022, but Waddle's skill set adds a unique element to the passing game that has been lacking.

Nix's 81 pass attempts on RPOs last season ranked second in the NFL. Those passes are typically thrown quickly and close to the line of scrimmage, putting an onus on the receiver to rack up yards after the catch.

When the Dolphins offense was at its best under in the first two years under Mike McDaniel, Waddle ranked third in 2022 and 11th in 2023 among all wide receivers in yards after the catch.

Even last season, when the offense in Miami was a mess due to injuries and erratic play from Tua Tagovailoa, Waddle's 14.2 yards per reception was the second-highest of his career (18.1 in 2022).

The Broncos will enter the 2026 season with Waddle, Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin as their top three receivers. That group has the potential to be one of the best trios in the NFL.