ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Jaylen Waddle has taken his first reps with the Broncos.
As the first week of OTAs wrapped up on Thursday, Head Coach Sean Payton shared that the star wide receiver — whom Denver acquired in a trade with the Miami Dolphins in March — has wasted little time displaying his skill set and showcasing his potential.
"He's had a good week," Payton said following Thursday's practice. "He's someone who picks things up real quick. He had a real good day yesterday. You can just feel his instincts, his quickness and his ability to really not only run fast but stop fast. So, he's doing well."
Payton also expressed confidence in Waddle's ability to seamlessly fit into Denver's offensive operation, noting that he envisioned the former first-round pick playing a specific role even prior to the trade being finalized.
"You could start slot to outside, or go outside to slot — just pick," Payton said. "There's a crystal-clear vision prior to the trade as to, 'All right, this is what we see, this is where he plays and these are the things that we feel like he's exceptional at.' Then, 'Let's apply them into what we're doing.'"
Just as Payton developed his vision for Waddle from afar, wide receiver Courtland Sutton said he formed a strong impression of the former Miami playmaker while observing from a distance. Now sharing the field with Waddle, Sutton's perception of his new teammate as "a special dude" has further solidified.
"There are a lot of things that he has — the qualities that he [has] — that are very unique to himself," Sutton said. "… It's fun to be able to see it up close and personal. I think [Offensive Coordinator Davis Webb] and Coach Payton have done a really good job already of trying to figure out the things that he can do well to help us in our room and help our offense."
For Waddle, that involves finding ways to complement Sutton, whom he described as "an elite playmaker."
"Any time you have a playmaker on the other side of you, it just makes it easy," Waddle said. "It's someone that the defense has to be looking out for, and vice versa."
And while Waddle's impact offensively is already becoming clear, safety Talanoa Hufanga stressed that his influence will not end there. Hufanga acknowledged the value of competing against high-caliber players during practice and said that Waddle — whom he played against during the newcomer's time in Miami — has been "everything that he is expected to be" up to this point.
"I'm super excited that he's on our side," Hufanga said. "… It's not the easiest [competing against him], but it's also a good thing for us to practice. Going up against the best is what we want."
As Denver continues to build toward the 2026 season, Payton's vision for one of the newest Broncos' playmakers will continue to manifest itself on the field.
"He has been a great addition," Payton said. "And we're just getting started."
