“And then we’ve got another guy that just came in, Jaylen Waddle, you know what I’m saying?” the running back said on NFL Network’s The Insiders. “Pick your poison because we’ve got Courtland Sutton, we’ve got the young Pat Bryant, we’ve got a great O-line, we’ve got everything. We’ve got an embarrassment of riches on this team of talent.“

He even warned his rivals about what they’re about to see: “I’m excited. I really am, because, call it what it is, I got hurt, I missed the last, what, seven games in the regular season. I’m fresh. I’m gonna be fresh and I’m gonna be pissed off because I’m tired of the unfortunate stuff. “

The serious injury he suffered during the regular season kept Dobbins out for much of it. It’s not unreasonable for him to feel that thirst for revenge, especially with the talent surrounding him.

How much can Waddle contribute to the Broncos?

The addition of Waddle to the Denver Broncos is a massive win for Bo Nix, as he gains an elite vertical threat to stretch the field alongside J.K. Dobbins. Waddle arrives after a solid 2025 campaign with the Dolphins, where he hauled in 64 receptions for 910 yards and 6 touchdowns in 16 games, averaging an impressive 14.2 yards per catch.

Bo Nix’s arsenal

Heading into the 2026 season, Bo Nix is surrounded by a versatile arsenal designed to maximize his quick processing and accuracy. The unit is anchored by veteran Courtland Sutton, who remains a premier red-zone threat, and elite tight end Evan Engram, who provides a reliable safety valve across the middle.

To stretch the field, Nix can rely on the explosive speed of Marvin Mims Jr. and his former college teammate Troy Franklin, whose established chemistry with Nix offers the Broncos a high-upside vertical duo capable of punishing any secondary.

Dobbins’ injury is behind him

In 2025, JK Dobbins suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury in his left foot during the third quarter of a Week 10 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders on November 6. The injury occurred due to a hip-drop tackle and required surgery, forcing him to miss the final seven games of the regular season and Denver‘s playoff run.

Despite the setback, Dobbins is fully expected to be ready for the 2026 season; he recently re-signed with the Broncos on a new two-year deal and stated in March 2026 that he feels fresh and ready to lead the backfield again.

In recent weeks, the Dolphins have made significant changes to their roster. Initially, they brought in Malik Willis to lead the offense, but the unit he encountered upon his arrival has changed drastically in recent days.

This week, the club traded Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos. He was expected to be the team’s WR1 following Tyreek Hill’s exit, but the receiving corps at Willis’s disposal will now have a new hierarchy.

Jalen Tolbert believes his chance to shine has arrived

When Jalen Tolbert signed his one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Dolphins, he expected a larger role than he had with the Dallas Cowboys. Nevertheless, few believed he would emerge as the WR2 on the offseason depth chart.

Following Jaylen Waddle’s departure to the Broncos, Malik Washington has become the new WR1, with Tolbert as the WR2. After playing a limited role in Dallas, Tolbert is now ready to step up and prove his worth—not only to the Dolphins but to the entire NFL.

“Obviously, all we ever can ask for is opportunity,” Dolphins new wide receiver Jalen Tolbert said, via Ryan Mackey of WPLG. “I felt like this was the best opportunity and I’m excited about it.”

Miami aims for a 180-degree change

The Dolphins have undergone a massive transformation this offseason, including the arrival of a new general manager, head coach, and starting quarterback, as well as a revamped wide receiver corps.

While they aim for a better season than last year, the sheer volume of these changes has raised doubts among fans. However, if they manage to succeed, it may go down as one of the most successful 180-degree turnarounds in NFL history.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Dolphins are getting the Broncos’ first round pick (30th overall) along with their late third and fourth round picks (30th in each round) in this year’s NFL Draft.

This leaves Miami with the following draft picks in April:

• Round 1: No. 11
• Round 1: No. 30 (from Broncos)
• Round 2: No. 43
• Round 3: No. 75
• Round 3: No. 87 (from Eagles)
• Round 3: No. 90 (from Texans)
• Round 3: No. 94 (from Broncos)
• Round 4: No. 130 (from Broncos)
• Round 5: No. 151
• Round 7: No. 227
• Round 7: No. 238 (from Chargers through Titans and Jets)

Denver, meanwhile, is receiving Miami’s fourth-round pick (11th in round) in 2026 in addition to Waddle. This leaves the Broncos with the following draft picks in 2026:

• Round 2: 62nd overall
• Round 4: 108th overall (via Saints; Devaughn Vele trade)
• Round 4: 111th overall (from Dolphins)
• Round 5: 170th overall
• Round 7: 246th overall
• Round 7: 256th overall (Javonte Williams comp pick)
• Round 7: 257th overall (Riley Dixon comp pick)

Dolphins embrace full rebuild by trading Waddle

The Dolphins trading Waddle confirms that the team is embracing a full rebuild in 2026. Having already parted with Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa, Miami is heading into the new season looking for a truly fresh start.

There’s a new regime in South Florida with Jon Eric Sullivan entering his first year as the Dolphins’ general manager and Jeff Hafley as head coach.

The Fins are ready to build a new offense around Malik Willis, the quarterback they signed in free agency. With many draft picks, young talent will arrive in South Florida hoping to reverse the franchise’s fortunes.

Waddle boosts Broncos’ offense after promising 2025

The Broncos, on the other hand, are looking to build on a promising 2025 season where they fell just short of a Super Bowl appearance.

Bo Nix gave them hope until an unfortunate injury late in the playoffs, but now he’s getting more help in Waddle to try and get over the hump.

Waddle arrives in Denver with 78 NFL starts under his belt, having caught 373 passes for 5,039 yards and 26 touchdowns during his fruitful stint in Miami.

Perhaps the change of scenery allows Waddle to chase the playoff success he couldn’t achieve with the Dolphins, who went 0-2 in the postseason with him on the team.

Meanwhile, Miami’s depth chart has been somewhat thinned out. Tutu Atwell, Malik Washington, and Jalen Tolbert lead the group, while further down are Terrace Marshall Jr, Theo Wease Jr, Tahj Washington, and AJ Henning.

Starting in 2026, Bo Nix will have a new, explosive weapon through the air. This significant move, which provides the Dolphins with new draft picks, was reported by Adam Schefter on X.

Boosting Nix’s passing attack

In the 2025 season, the Broncos‘ aerial attack led by Nix recorded 3,931 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions across 17 starts.

The receiving corps was anchored by Sutton, who surpassed the 1,000-yard mark (1,017) with 7 touchdowns, while rookie Troy Franklin added 709 yards and 6 scores. Overall, Denver’s passing game averaged 223.9 yards per game, ranking 11th in the league and proving to be a reliable component of their 14–3 record.

Waddle’s numbers in Miami

During the latest season, Jaylen Waddle remained a focal point of the Dolphins’ offense, finishing the year with 64 receptions for 910 yards and 6 touchdowns in 16 games.

Averaging 14.2 yards per catch, Waddle stepped up as the primary target following injuries to the receiving corps, including a standout performance against the Panthers where he recorded 110 yards.

The Dolphins have made several major moves this offseason. On Monday, the organization parted ways with top players such as Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb, signaling a potential reset as the team looks toward the future.

With Hill’s departure, a major question quickly surfaced: what happens to Jaylen Waddle? After being involved in trade rumors last season, speculation resurfaced that he could also be on his way out. However, Waddle has firmly shut down those suggestions.

Jaylen Waddle rejects trade rumors

Hill’s release sent shockwaves through Miami. By default, Jaylen Waddle now becomes the Dolphins’ top wide receiver, but rumors began circulating that he had requested a trade this offseason.

On X (formerly Twitter), Waddle responded to a post from an account named Adam Ferrell claiming he had asked for a trade. Waddle replied with a cap emoji, signaling that the report was false.

A closer look at the Adam Ferrell account shows that it identifies itself as a parody of an NFL insider. Still, Waddle made it clear that there is no truth to the trade speculation.

Jaylen Waddle was nearly traded in 2025

During the 2025 NFL season, the Dolphins reportedly explored trade options involving Waddle. The Denver Broncos were said to have strong interest in acquiring the wide receiver, but Miami’s asking price ultimately prevented a deal from happening.

Now, with Tyreek Hill gone, the Dolphins are expected to keep Waddle as the focal point of their offense. However, uncertainty remains at the quarterback position, as Tua Tagovailoa’s future in Miami is far from secure.

The wide receiver was one of the team’s biggest bright spots week after week, establishing himself as one of Tua Tagovailoa’s most trusted targets. Unfortunately, his talent may not be on display at Gillette Stadium.

While the NFL’s official site lists him as questionable for the matchup against the Patriots, insider Adam Schefter reported on X that the most likely scenario is that Jaylen Waddle will not play against New England in Week 18.

What injury is troubling Jaylen Waddle?

During the Dolphins‘ Week 17 matchup against the Buccaneers, Jaylen Waddle suffered a rib injury. The injury occurred early in the game, specifically during the first quarter, following a 7-yard end-around run where he was seen clutching his side before heading to the locker room. Although he briefly returned to the game in the third quarter, he played sparingly and finished without a catch.

Waddle’s standout season

Throughout the 2025 NFL season, Jaylen Waddle has solidified his role as the premier offensive weapon for the Miami Dolphins, leading the team across all major receiving categories.

Despite facing various challenges, Waddle has recorded 64 receptions for 910 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns, maintaining an impressive average of 14.2 yards per catch.

His production has been particularly vital following the injury to Tyreek Hill earlier in the season, as Waddle currently leads all Dolphins players in receiving yards—surpassing teammates like De’Von Achane (488 yards) and Malik Washington (311 yards) by a significant margin.

Jaylen Waddle was rumored to be on the market. However, Cameron Wolfe reported that the Dolphins wanted a “Quinnen Williams or Sauce Gardner type return” for the wideout. No team was willing to give that much, and there was a reason why the Dolphins had this high of a price.

Wolfe also reported, “The Dolphins view Waddle as a part of their future, whether that includes the current Tua/Mike McDaniel quarterback-coach combination or not.” Whether the coach or quarterback remain, Waddle is viewed as a big asset.

Jaylen Waddle is an excellent receiver

The former Alabama wideout is clearly a talented player. Also, at just 26 years old, Waddle has too many good years ahead of him. In his four previous seasons, Waddle has surpassed the 1,000-yard treshold three times. In 2024, he played 15 games and had 744 yards. He has 25 career touchdowns.

He is very speedy and has good routes. Waddle is a very good receiver in many aspects of the game. Hence, it’s not incomprehensible for the Dolphins to want to keep him. However, all things have a price but Waddle’s is very expensive.

The Dolphins don’t even know who their HC/QB duo will be

The Dolphins already fired GM Chris Grier. They also said head coach Mike McDaniel would stay at least until the end of the season. However, there are no certainties that he will stay beyond that.

As for Tua, there are no guarantees that he is the quarterback that the Dolphins want for the future, as he has been underwhelming for quite some time now. Hence, it can be an all-out rebuild in 2026 for the team.

On Tuesday, reports emerged that the Broncos were genuinely interested in trading for Jaylen Waddle. However, the Dolphins’ asking price was too high, and Denver decided not to pursue the talented wide receiver.

His addition would have undoubtedly boosted Bo Nix’s offense. However, the quarterback is comfortable with his current wide receiver group and believes they have enough talent to compete for the Super Bowl.

Bo Nix weighs in on Broncos not trading for Jaylen Waddle

The Broncos came very close to adding a new wide receiver for Bo Nix. However, they couldn’t reach an agreement with the Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle, and negotiations fell through.

The news reached Bo Nix, who obviously wants more weapons at his disposal, but he supports the front office’s decision not to overpay Miami for Waddle.

“Obviously if there’s a need you want to get it, but we feel like we have all the pieces,” Nix said, via transcript from the team. “Sometimes when something like that happens, it shakes things up. We have something good going, and we just want to keep riding this wave and finding ways to win.”

Sean Payton has faith in Bo Nix and his offense

All roster changes must first be approved by the head coach, as he is the one managing the players. Sean Payton wanted a wide receiver, yet he’s also comfortable with how Bo Nix’s offense looks right now.

“We’re invested in and like this group and where we are going,” head coach Sean Payton said, via Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.

On Tuesday at 4 PM ET, the 2025 NFL trade deadline closed. Many teams made several moves, yet the Dolphins were not as active as many thought they would be.

Miami had in Jaylen Waddle a key asset to trade. Nevertheless, Jordan Schultz has reported that the cost of the wide receiver was too high for all clubs interested in him.

Report: Dolphins placed high price tag on Jaylen Waddle that prevented his trade

As the Dolphins are not enjoying a great 2025 NFL season, many thought the AFC East club would become an active seller at the trade deadline. However, they didn’t make too many roster changes.

Besides the departure of edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dolphins didn’t make any other blockbuster trades. Everyone was waiting for news on Jaylen Waddle, but Miami decided to keep the star wide receiver.

According to reports before the 2025 NFL trade deadline, the Dolphins were listening to offers for Waddle. Schultz revealed that the Broncos and other teams inquired about the wideout, but Miami’s asking price was too high for them.

Details of the asking price have not been revealed yet. However, with Waddle being the best wide receiver the Dolphins currently have in healthy condition, a first-round pick may have been what Miami was targeting for him.

The rebuild has already started for the Dolphins

A few days ago, the Dolphins announced the departure of GM Chris Grier by mutual agreement. The club is set to decide on Mike McDaniel’s future at the end of the season, but Grier’s exit has marked the start of their long-awaited rebuild.

Miami has not been the contender everyone expected it to be in recent years. The rebuild has already started, but it will be key for them to have a great free agency and 2026 NFL Draft in order to compete next season.

In Week 4, Tyreek Hill suffered a severe knee injury while facing the Jets. The talented wide receiver was immediately in visible pain and had to be carted off the field.

Hill won’t return this season after tearing multiple ligaments. Jaylen Waddle will step up as WR1, and he has now addressed how he feels about replacing his star teammate.

Jaylen Waddle makes honest confession on being named Tyreek Hill’s replacement

The Miami Dolphins have lost their best weapon for the remainder of the season. Tyreek Hill suffered a serious knee injury that will sideline him for the rest of the year and potentially the start of the next campaign.

Due to his absence, the Dolphins will have to rely on Jaylen Waddle as WR1. The speedy wideout is ready for the challenge, yet he recognizes that no one, including himself, can fully replace Tyreek Hill.

“I don’t think you replace it or anything like that. Just him, you can’t replace a personality and a player like that,” Waddle said. “You just kind of remember and know what you’re playing for, know how special a player and teammate he is, and kind of just play through it or just play in remembrance of his energy.”

While Waddle is a talented receiver, Hill brought the offense to a whole different level. Nevertheless, QB Tua Tagovailoa will have to rely more on Waddle from now on and develop a stronger partnership with him during Hill’s absence.

Will Tyreek Hill play football again?

One of the biggest questions about Tyreek Hill is whether he will continue playing football. At 31, recovering from such a serious injury could make returning to the field challenging.

As of now, Hill has no intentions of quitting football. However, his future will depend on his recovery and whether he can return to his peak level after this significant injury.

Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season will get started with a Thursday Night Football game between AFC East foes. The juggernauts Buffalo Bills face the collapsing Miami Dolphins in a divisional game with highly contrasting realities. To make it tougher for Mike McDaniel’s team, there are questions about Jaylen Waddle‘s availability for this game.

The team has listed Waddle as questionable for the game vs. Bills. Waddle is battling a shoulder injury and according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, Waddle will play.

Waddle has been nursing this injury since Week 1 but was able to play in Week 2, racking up five passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. Usually, a “questionable” status would mean that the player can still play on the game, so there is a bit of optimism on the Dolphins‘ locker room.

Mike McDaniel’s seat is as hot as ever

It’s not shocking to see the Dolphins start 0-2 this season after all the preseason reports. It’s also not shocking to see it after McDaniel’s press conferences. It seems like he’s lost control of the locker room, his playcalling has decreased in efficiency and the team lacks intensity, as said by other players who faced them.

McDaniel’s demeanor also looks absolutely blue. It seems like his tank has emptied, he doesn’t want to be there. An upset win against the Bills could mean a huge momentum shift, but the reality is that Miami has shown little to nothing this season to think they can beat a Super Bowl contender. All signs point to McDaniel being on borrowed time.

The Bills are clearly a better team than the Dolphins

Since 2017, Dolphins and Bills have played each other 17 times. The Bills have won 15 of those games. Even on both Dolphins wins, those were one possession games. The Bills, and Josh Allen, are clearly a much better team on the head-to-head department.

The Bills have scored 71 points in two games and have looked impressive. The Dolphins have allowed 66 points in that exact timeframe. According to Vegas’ odds, Buffalo is favored by 11.5 points, which is a large spread for an NFL game. That only shows how different the teams’ vibes and forms are right now.