The Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos agreed to a massive trade on Tuesday morning. Long-time Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is being sent to the Broncos along with a third round pick. In exchange, Miami is receiving Denver’s first round pick this year, as well as a third and fourth round pick in the the 2026 NFL Draft.
This deal is just the latest in the Dolphins’ complete face-lift of their roster following the addition of general manager Jon Eric-Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley (both formerly of the Green Bay Packers).
The trade came more than a week after the unofficial start of NFL free agency, but occurred with multiple high-profile wide receivers left on the market.
Denver Broncos grade for the Jaylen Waddle trade
Miami Dolphins, Jaylen Waddle, Denver Broncos
Oct 29, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) runs with the ball for a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
For Denver, the trade makes a great deal of sense in that they are getting Waddle, who had 64 receptions for 910 yards and six touchdowns last season despite the deplorable quarterback play in Miami. Pairing him with a quarterback as good as Bo Nix will only help his production.
Waddle is no stranger to sharing targets with a Pro Bowl teammate, so pairing him with Courtland Sutton in the wide receiver room will not present any issues. In fact, it only makes Denver’s offense all the more potent.
That being said, giving up their first round pick this year, as well as what amounts to be a third round pick swap and a fourth rounder is a steep price. Waddle surely will have more of an immediate effect than any first round pick the Broncos may have made this year, but he likely will not last as long on the roster.
This move is certainly a “win now” one, and Denver will have to hope it was worth it.
Grade: B
Miami Dolphins grade for trading Jaylen Waddle
Miami has been busily giving their roster a major face-lift this off-season. Waddle, though, was set to be the top target for newly signed quarterback Malik Willis, who now gets his second chance at being an NFL starter without a proven top pass catcher.
Still, that might be the whole point for the Dolphins, who are looking at the long-term picture as opposed to the short-term.
With this trade, Miami now has 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. This includes two picks in the first round (11th and 30th overall) and four in the third round. All told, they have seven picks in the top 100.
Indeed, this season is going to be one filled with young players trying to prove themselves and find their way in Miami. It may not look pretty at times, but Eric-Sullivan and Hafley decided to rebuild the Dolphins from the ground up.
Grade: A-
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