After an untimely injury to Bo Nix ultimately resulted in a short-staffed Denver Broncos team faltering in the snow to the New England Patriots in the 2025 AFC Championship. It was one of the most frustrating losses in the history of the franchise, but it also suggested that they were just one or two more pieces away from winning it all.
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Well, it turns out that the Miami Dolphins may have had that piece in Jaylen Waddle, and the Broncos were willing to pay them a first- and third-round draft pick in exchange for him. Even though many are considering it to be an overpay for a 27-year-old wide receiver, the move is still being considered as a win for everyone in Denver, except for Courtland Sutton.
In addition to Waddle presumably taking over his role as the WR1 of the Broncos, the former Dolphin will also take the honor of being the highest-paid wideout on the roster. The Broncos inherited Waddle’s original extension with the Dolphins, which was good for three years and a total of $84.75 million.
During the summer of last year, Sutton signed a contract extension of his own, a four-year deal worth a total of $92 million. So while he’s still boasting the more valuable contract overall, it’s still Waddle who will be taking home the better average salary.
Conveniently enough for the Broncos, however, they won’t have to worry about that quite yet. The franchise will only have to fork over $6.8 million to the five-year veteran in 2026, and while that total will balloon up to $24 million in 2027, that still leaves them with plenty of time to rework other deals while also pushing their chips in on the 2026 season.
Suffice to say, Sutton may appear to be underpaid when compared to Waddle, but only at a surface level. After Nix’s rookie debut managed to bring about the second 1,000+ receiving yards season of his career, the Broncos rightfully offered Sutton a handsome extension to ensure that their rookie would have a capable veteran to rely on in the passing game.
The addition of Waddle is simply the next step in enhancing Nix’s arsenal, and the fact that he’s the beneficiary of a higher average salary really has more to do with the Dolphins’ front office than anything else. Much like the argument that the Broncos overpaid for Waddle in their trade, the idea that Sutton is underpaid is ultimately a matter of perspective.
At the end of the day, the Dolphins were able to get some much-needed draft capital for their rebuild, the Broncos were able to fulfill their dreams of enhancing a potential-championship roster, and all of this precluded Sutton receiving a much-deserved contract extension. When you frame it like that, it’s hard to find a loser in this trade, and that’s likely how it should be viewed until we see exactly what Waddle is able to do for Denver in 2026.
