Last week, the Miami Dolphins shocked their fanbase, sending beloved wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a first round pick (30th overall) in the 2026 NFL Draft, plus 3rd and 4th rounders — they also sent their own 4th round pick in 2026 back to Denver in the deal.
According to an article published by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated on Monday, the Dolphins were willing to part with Waddle because he was an older player on a second contract who didn’t fit into the team’s rebuilding timeline.
For Miami, the operative question on giving up Waddle, a player they very much valued and one beloved in the organization, related back to timelines. If, say, [Jon-Eric] Sullivan and [Jeff] Hafley had the program rolling going into 2028, it would be with Waddle at 30 years old and likely in search of a new contract. Conversely, the first- and third-round picks they bring onto their roster would be going into Year 3, still a year away from even being able to negotiate a new deal. That’s a better timeline match than Waddle would be.
While new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan valued Waddle’s skillset in regards to Miami’s offense, they valued the trade compensation more since the team is in the middle of resetting their salary cap and rebuilding their team in an effort to compete in a year or two.
Now all Sullivan and the Dolphins need to do is hit on their picks in this year’s draft to really get the ball rolling towards making Miami a perennial contender for the NFL Playoffs in the AFC. They’ll have plenty of opportunities to do so — as the team is currently slated for 11 picks in April’s selection process.
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