In the wildest dreams of both the Denver Broncos and their fans, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle does something truly special in his 1st season in the Mile High City.
Something so special that Waddle could end up doing what no wide receiver in NFL history has done before, which is bring home NFL MVP honors.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra put Waddle at the top of his list of the top non-quarterbacks who could bring home MVP honors in 2026.
“Waddle’s addition is too significant to ignore,” Patra wrote. “The former first-rounder brings to Sean Payton’s offense the exact element it was missing. His ability to create space and gobble up yards after the catch will mash in Denver. Courtland Sutton is a good receiver, but Waddle can take the offense to new heights and should bring the best out of Bo Nix.”
The Broncos traded their 2026 1st-round pick (No. 30 overall) to the Miami Dolphins for Waddle on March 17 and, if he produces like a true WR1, could end up being an absolute steal.
Jaylen Waddle’s Contract Might Favor Broncos
Waddle is playing on the 3-year, $84.75 million contract extension he signed with the Dolphins before the 2024 season, which could end up being great value for the Broncos if he performs like they think he will.
That means the Broncos have Waddle in his prime and under contract through the 2028 season at a rate significantly under what the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL are making — he’s due approximately $17.2 million in 2026, $24 million in 2027, and $27.2 million in 2028, which will almost certainly keep him $20 million per year behind the top-paid players at wide receiver through the end of the deal.
“Broncos are trading for Miami WR Jaylen Waddle, per source,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on March 17. “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 this year’s draft.”
It was a seismic move for the Broncos, who addressed their biggest offseason concern by trading for Waddle.
“I absolutely love this for Denver,” ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky said after the trade. “… they needed a true wide receiver with speed, and there’s Jaylen Waddle. Huge pickup for Denver.”
What Happens Now at WR for Denver Broncos
After years of searching for answers, the Broncos now find themselves with a crowded wide receiver room and some difficult decisions ahead.
Waddle and Courtland Sutton are the clear-cut WR1A and WR1B options, with Sutton coming off consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2024 and 2025.
Beyond that, there is an absolute knockdown, drag-out fight set up for the WR3 role in training camp, with 3rd-year wide receiver Troy Franklin and 2nd-year wide receiver Pat Bryant leading the way and 2-time NFL All-Pro return specialist/wide receiver Marvin Mims also in the mix.
Franklin made a pretty significant leap in 2025 with 65 receptions for 709 yards and 6 touchdowns — more than double his 28 receptions for 263 yards and 1 touchdown as a rookie in 2024.
This offseason, Franklin appeared to have packed on a significant amount of muscle to combat criticism of his durability after he faltered late in 2025 as the Broncos set themselves up for a playoff run.
“Year 3 is usually where we see WRs take that next leap,” Broncos fan Dak wrote on X.
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