The Denver Broncos’ muted offseason just got considerably louder.
On Tuesday, the team agreed to a trade with the Miami Dolphins to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, according to multiple reports. The Broncos will receive Waddle and the Dolphins’ fourth-round pick this year, while Miami will get the No. 30 overall selection in April as well as Denver’s third- and fourth-round picks this year.
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The deal sends both franchises further down their divergent paths. For the Broncos, Waddle arrives as a much-needed speedy complement to Courtland Sutton and a target capable of opening things up in Sean Payton’s offense. The Dolphins, meanwhile, continue to embrace a widespread reset in the first year of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley’s regime.
But who won the deal? Here are grades for both teams:
Broncos grade: B+
Through Monday, the Broncos had made zero external additions in the first week of free agency. By Tuesday, it became clear that the organization wasn’t merely resigned to running it back with the group that reached the AFC championship game last season.
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Denver had fished around for Waddle during last season, per multiple reports, and it’s not difficult to understand why. Even amid Miami’s wider woes, the 2022 first-rounder remained one of the league’s most dangerous big-play threats both as a run-after-catch threat and a vertical weapon. With his ability to generate chunk gains and open up the attack, it’s difficult to find a better running mate for the reliable yet limited Sutton.
There’s a fairly considerable cost involved in this, but Denver had already seen little progress after investing several early selections in upgrading Bo Nix’s arsenal. Taking a flier on another dynamic player in the late first round likely wouldn’t have moved the needle much for a franchise that was on the precipice of breaking through in the wide-open AFC. Waddle was likely one of a select few attainable playmakers capable of changing the overall complexion of the attack for Denver, and an otherwise well-stocked roster can afford to go in on this kind of move.
Dolphins grade: B
Rebuilding doesn’t quite capture what the Dolphins are doing under their new regime. This is a full demolition.
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In dispatching Waddle after Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb, among others, Miami has grown its dead-cap toll to New Orleans Saints-like proportions. Unlike New Orleans, however, there doesn’t appear to be an effort to massage the numbers and cling on to any notion of being competitive.
That’s an entirely reasonable route to take, as Miami won’t be equipped to be relevant until 2027 at the earliest. Stocking up on draft capital is the way to go. And Waddle was the last remaining valuable chip to flip.
But have the Dolphins gone too far in tearing things down? Not necessarily, but it’s clear that the freshly signed Malik Willis will need a lot more help than a receiving corps of Tutu Atwell, Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert can provide. Taking a pass catcher might be the priority at No. 11, with USC’s Makai Lemon shaping up as the quarterback-friendly target best suited to assist the volatile signal-caller with settling in. But that could mean that a hurting offensive line will have to wait until later on in the draft for more assistance.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jaylen Waddle trade grades: Did Broncos or Dolphins win deal?
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