The Denver Broncos can exhale a little bit more. With Sean Payton already taking the sting out of Jaylen Waddle exiting practice early on Wednesday, new insider intel is bolstering the Broncos’ head coach’s claims.
Waddle departed at least 40 minutes early, heading inside with a Broncos trainer, and did not return for the remainder of the session.
Payton’s comments had an ominous familiarity to them, but Waddle avoided the potential jinx.
Broncos Insider: Jaylen Waddle Expected to Be Good to Go
GettyJaylen Waddle avoided a serious injury during Broncos training camp.
Firsthand accounts poured in following Waddle’s exit, with those in attendance learning from Payton that the receiver was battling “muscle tightness” and that he suspected the new Broncos star would be “fine.”
“I’m told by a source that Waddle will be ‘good,’” DNVR Broncos’ Zac Stevens reported on X on August 5.
“Appears the Broncos avoided something serious with their star WR.”
The Broncos surrendered a package headlined by their 2026 first-round draft pick and took on Waddle’s three-year, $84.7 million contract in their trade with the Miami Dolphins for the former sixth-overall selection (2021).
Waddle’s durability has never been a significant issue in the past, despite him being a smaller/shorter receiver.
Still, it was an ominous sight for at least the duration of the day’s practice session.
The Broncos entered the day with center Luke Wattenberg, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, and wide receiver Courtland Sutton sidelined. They had several of their reserve players who missed the session, too.
The good news is that none of the injuries are expected to be long-term. Of course, that will carry more weight when players begin returning to action.
That could happen when the Broncos hit the practice field on Thursday.
Broncos Had Bo Nix Scare
GettyBo Nix got sacked during Broncos training camp practice.
Waddle was not the only Broncos player to avoid disaster in practice on Wednesday, either. The Broncos saw defensive lineman Malcolm Roach take quarterback Bo Nix down to the ground during a live team drill.
“Malcolm Roach actually sacked Bo Nix. Looked like an accident but not the way you draw it up. Got Nix below the knees as he tried to get out of the pocket,” The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel reported on X on August 5. “Nix was fine. Anybody other than Roach, who is universally respected, and that might have caused an international incident.”
Quarterbacks are off-limits in practice as a standard.
But Nix is also coming off two procedures on his ankle this offseason, one to repair a broken bone that he suffered during the AFC Divisional Playoffs, and another to clean up the area.
Broncos D-lineman D.J. Jones explained that he did not expect any repercussions for Roach, but that is because there was no ill intent toward his teammate and quarterback. Nevertheless, the Broncos would be wise to avoid more interactions like that.
They still have a long way to go before the regular season, and injuries are virtually unavoidable in a contact sport like the NFL.
Broncos Get Promising Follow-Up on Jaylen Waddle Injury