Following the Denver Broncos‘ blockbuster deal to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in a trade with the Miami Dolphins last month, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated published a story detailing some of the behind-the-scenes details leading up to the trade.
Following the NFL combine, Denver assistant general manager Reed Burckhardt contacted Miami GM Jon-Eric Sullivan with an initial inquiry on Waddle, according to Breer. The Dolphins made it clear that a first-round pick would have to be a starting point in a potential trade.
The Broncos, meanwhile, had plenty of intel on Waddle — quarterback Bo Nix played against the receiver in the 2019 Iron Bowl, and he told Denver it was “one of the greatest individual games he’d ever seen,” according to Breer. Waddle caught three touchdown passes and returned a kick for a score in Alabama’s 48-45 loss to Auburn.
Broncos safety Brandon Jones was also a resource, having played with Waddle for three years with the Dolphins. Denver also spoke with former Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, who said the receiver was “competitive, tough, sudden, and could drop his weight as fast as anyone he’d ever coached,” according to Breer.
Breer also reported that the Broncos initially wanted to include a 2027 third-round pick as part of the trade, but Miami wanted it to be this year’s third-round selection. As a compromise, the Dolphins agreed to trade fourth-round picks in this year’s draft (an upgrade for Denver) and the Broncos included their 2026 third-rounder to get the deal done.
In the end, Denver gave up pick Nos. 30, 94, 130 in exchange for Waddle and pick No. 111. Miami’s entering a rebuilding stage, but the Broncos have a window to compete now, so the trade made sense for both sides. Time will tell if it ends up being a win-win for both clubs. Breer’s full story can be read on SI’s website.
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