Daniel Jeremiah Makes Bold Jaylen Waddle Prediction

Jaylen Waddle saw only a handful of snaps in his one and only preseason appearance, but it also happened to coincide with Bo Nix’s first game back since fracturing his ankle.

In that game, Nix looked Waddle’s way on a third-and-long, connecting with him down the right seam, at which point, the speedster turned on the jets to cross midfield and gain 35 yards. That one play gave fans a snapshot into the Denver Broncos’ thought process behind giving up a first- and a third-round pick to acquire the veteran wideout via trade.

It was a blockbuster offseason move poised to deliver blockbuster results for the Broncos. NFL Media‘s Daniel Jeremiah listed the Waddle trade as the third-best offseason addition for teams, explaining how it’s going to change things in Denver in an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

“A team that needed one very specific thing — that’s Denver — they went out and get Jaylen Waddle. I think he’s going to have a monster season with Bo Nix there. It’s going to be run-after-the-catch stuff underneath; they’re going to be able to [do] all those designed shot plays that Sean Payton loves to dial up, Jaylen Waddle is going to be the recipient of all those,” Jeremiah told McAfee.

Need for Speed

Again, that one 35-yard play in preseason Game 2 showcased all the reasons why the Broncos coveted Waddle. The speed element is palpable and unlike anything Broncos fans have ever seen.

The late Demaryius Thomas could turn on the jets and blow past the NFL’s fastest cornerbacks, but even he wasn’t quite on Waddle’s level of speed. The best way Nix has tried to explain Waddle’s skill set is by saying, “He’s just different.”

As Jeremiah said, look for the Broncos to isolate Waddle in underneath routes that he can catch, make a man miss, and turn on the jets. That applies to slants, too.

When it comes to the shot plays, it’ll be interesting to see the coaching creativity of Payton and new offensive coordinator Davis Webb when it comes to targeting Waddle deep. Waddle has excellent hands, and that speed is a true weapon just waiting to be detonated on opponents.

With Waddle in the fold, the Broncos now have one of the NFL’s most interesting and dynamic receiver rooms. Courtland Sutton is a back-to-back 1,000-yard receiver with two Pro Bowl nods under his belt — individual accolades that have eluded Waddle five years into his NFL career.

Sutton is a prototypical X-receiver with the size and wingspan to win his matchups consistently, which balances well with Waddle’s skill set. Then there’s Pat Bryant, who has looked like a man possessed entering Year 2.

Marvin Mims Jr., if Webb has bought into ensuring he has a role on offense, could be devestating to opponents for many of the same reasons that Waddle is. Plus, Mims is reliable, especially in critical situations and the clutch.

When Troy Franklin is a team’s fifth-best receiver on the depth chart, that says something about the collection of talent. Nix has to be smiling ear to ear, and we’ve yet to even mention Evan Engram’s outlook in his second year as a Bronco.

An element being slept on is how Waddle will alleviate pressure on the Broncos’ run game. No more stacked boxes, which will allow the Broncos to win the numbers game. Synergy.

The Takeaway

The Broncos knew exactly what they were doing when they gave up the haul they did for Waddle. There’s a reason that Webb began forecasting a Year-3 jump for Nix during OTAs.

It’s going to be fun to see how Payton and Webb make hay with their shiny new weapon.

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