After a disappointing 2025 season for the Miami Dolphins, the team undergoing a rebuild was not a surprise.
The team had few assets under long-term control and many high-priced veterans who appeared to be past their prime. As a result, the Dolphins cut ties with most of their high-priced players.
Most of them were not a surprise; however, trading away wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos was somewhat of a shock. Unfortunately, his debut with the Denver Broncos did not go as expected, as Waddle finished with only two yards during Week 1.
Now, Broncos head coach Sean Payton has sent a clear message on Waddle’s usage in Denver.
Sean Payton Sends Clear Message on Jaylen Waddle’s Usage After Week 1
After a disappointing first outing for the former Miami Dolphins wide receiver, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton assured that Jaylen Waddle will be more involved. He said, “So we just gotta be, you know, more deliberate maybe, and yet, without forcing it. But you know, he’s gonna have his touches.”
He did say that those were also his intentions during Week 1, but they failed to accomplish that as Waddle finished with only one reception on three targets.
Last season with the Dolphins, Waddle finished with one or fewer receptions in two games. One of those was a game where he left injured after playing only 14 snaps.
Despite Waddle failing to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons, his value on the trade market was still high enough to land the Dolphins a first-round pick.
Prior to the trade, Waddle had been in trade rumors due to Miami’s rebuild. However, ESPN’s Benjamin Solak predicted that there was only a 10% chance that the Dolphins would move on from the wide receiver.
With the Dolphins, Waddle did have three consecutive seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards. During those three seasons, he set the rookie receptions record (which was later surpassed), he had the fourth-best season by a Dolphins wide receiver in franchise history and was sixth-all time in receiving yards for the team.
Ultimately, Miami opted to move on and rebuild their wide receiver room through the draft.
Miami Dolphins Wide Receiver Room
Instead of using the first-round draft pick that the Dolphins acquired by trading Waddle to acquire a new wide receiver, the team waited until the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft to address the wide receiver position.
During that round, the Dolphins added a pair of wide receivers in Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell. Both rookies were Week 1 starters for the Dolphins, and they both ended up having more production than Jaylen Waddle.
In particular, Caleb Douglas impressed as he led the team with 94 receiving yards and five catches. In comparison, Waddle totaled 61 receiving yards and a touchdown during his debut with the Dolphins in 2021.
While it remains to be seen whether trading Waddle was the right decision, his lack of production with Denver in Week 1 appears unlikely to repeat itself.
The Miami Dolphins will face off against Jaylen Waddle and the Denver Broncos in Week 13.
Sean Payton Sends Clear Message on Ex-Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle