The Denver Broncos acquired Jaylen Waddle in a trade this offseason, and one NFL writer thinks he could have a career-best season.
The Denver Broncos were just a few plays away from making the Super Bowl.
Ultimately, the season-ending injury to quarterback Bo Nix in the Divisional Round was too much for this team to overcome, but they were right on the cusp of an AFC title.
Entering the 2026 regular season, the Broncos are commonly viewed as favorites to win the AFC West again, even with Patrick Mahomes back for the Kansas City Chiefs and Mike McDaniel coming to be the new playcaller for Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Broncos addressed one key need this offseason: A true, bonafide WR1. They acquired Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins, and he could be in store for a massive season.
How big of a year could Waddle have? Well, Douglas Clawson of CBS Sports had bold predictions for every team, and his for Denver included Waddle having 130 catches.
"Michael Thomas caught an NFL record 149 balls in 2019 in a 16-game season with Sean Payton. I think Peyton will ride newly acquired WR Jaylen Waddle to at least 130 grabs this year after trading a first-round pick for the electric playmaker," Clawson wrote.
Waddle spent his entire NFL career with Miami after being selected No. 6 overall in 2021 following a terrific run with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Waddle's most receptions came in 2021 when he caught 104 passes for 1,015 yards with 6 touchdowns.
In 2022, he had 75 receptions, but he had 1,356 yards with a career-best 8 touchdowns.
Is 130 receptions realistic for Waddle? Well, Davis Webb is the new offensive coordinator in Denver, and Sean Payton is even planning on letting Webb call plays.
The running back room is a question mark with J.K. Dobbins often injured and some young pieces apart from Dobbins on the depth chart.
Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin also share room with Waddle, but there is no question the ex-Dolphins WR is the best pass-catcher in Denver this season.
Waddle had 64 catches for 910 yards in 2025, the second-lowest receptions of his career, although Miami had a bit of a revolving door at the QB position, which is not something Denver has right now.
Bo Nix should find Waddle often right out of the gates, and the first few weeks should show whether or not 130 catches is obtainable for Waddle this season.
