Jaylen Waddle welcomes new beginning with Broncos after Dolphins trade
Jaylen Waddle is soaring to new heights.
The star receiver is going from sea level to the Mile High City in 2026 after the Miami Dolphins traded him to the Denver Broncos. It was a high price to pay for the Broncos, who parted with a 2026 first, third and fourth-round pick to pry him away from the Dolphins.
Waddle passed his physical on March 18, which finalized the trade and eliminated any chance of drama like the league saw with the Maxx Crosby trade that fell through. The receiver met with the media after the trade became official and expressed his excitement for the new opportunity.
"It's exciting ... just playing with great players," Waddle said. "Everyone is talking about how great and close the team is. I'm excited to be around the guys, get to know them, and they get to know me and go from there."
The receiver quickly catapulted to the top of the depth chart, but he believes that title is in name only.
"I don't think there are No. 1s, everyone is here to make plays and try to win," Waddle said. "That's ultimately the goal for the team and for the organization."
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Waddle will patch a big hole in Sean Payton's offense, which had been lacking a consistent receiver to play alongside Courtland Sutton. Now that additional talent can serve in a complementary role, which should be a big boost to the team's depth.
Waddle was quick to mention the players he is now sharing a position room with.
"I think I just bring another playmaker to the team," Waddle said. "Someone that can help out and try to make plays to the best of my ability. I think it's going to be a fun group. They have a lot of talent with Court, Marv [Marvin Mims Jr.],Troy [Franklin],Pat [Bryant],Lil'Jordan [Humphrey]. I'm here to help in every fashion, making plays and learning. I'm excited to learn from them and them to learn from me. It should be fun, it should be great."
The speedster adds a new element to the Denver offense. He produced a trio of 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career, but hasn't hit that number in the two since.
It's a new challenge for the now-former Dolphin, who is changing teams for the first time at the professional level.
"It's definitely new beginnings," Waddle said. "I just look at it as a new opportunity to go out there with a new team in a great place, play along great talent and help out as best I can."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jaylen Waddle explains role in Broncos offense after Dolphins trade