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On their way to the AFC Championship Game last season, the Denver Broncos compiled the 11th-most passing yards in the NFL.
But the Broncos average gain per completion of 9.8 yards ranked 20th among the leagues 32 teams.
Thats where wide receiver Jaylen Waddle comes in.
Denver acquired the former Alabama standout from the Miami Dolphins in a trade in March.
Theres an element of explosiveness that I think as an offense weve lacked for a couple years, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said last week.
Weve had plenty of explosive plays, plenty of points, all that kind of stuff.
Weve made great strides, but theres a level of explosiveness that a guy like that adds.
So you could be first-and-10 starting to drive and go one-and-done because he takes it 75, 80 yards.
So thats the kind of weapon that we added, and thats, I think, what weve all been out here watching and sort of really enjoying watching just seeing him get out here move and run around.
And you just cant replace speed and thats just what he brings to the table, and hes extremely fast with the ball in his hands.
Looks like he doesnt really slow down to make cuts, which is pretty tough to do for a fast guy.
But hes just going to add an element of relief for everybody else and take a little bit of the touches so that other guys dont have to take them all, and once those guys take them, theyre fresh and ready to take them.
So I think a guy like that makes everybody on the offense better.
FOR MORE OF AL.COMS COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE Nixs work with Waddle was limited during the offseason program as the quarterback recovers from two ankle surgeries since his final game of the 2025 season.
But practicing with Waddle again, though, was Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II.
Waddle and Surtain were Alabama teammates from 2018 through 2020 and closed their careers as the Crimson Tide capped an undefeated season with a 52-24 victory over Ohio State in the CFP national-championship game on Jan.
11, 2021.
On Nov.
30, 2019, Nix led Auburn to a 48-45 victory over Alabama, even though Waddle caught three touchdown passes and returned a punt 98 yards for a TD for the Tide.
An injury kept Waddle out of the 2020 Iron Bowl, when Surtain and Alabama defeated Nix and the Tigers 42-13.
Waddle was the sixth pick and Surtain the ninth selection in the 2021 NFL Draft.
It creates a whole new dynamic, and thats pretty exciting, Surtain said last week about adding Waddle to the Denver offense.
When you got a player like that on your team, you know, iron sharpens iron, and were looking forward to those matchups and those battles.
Im looking forward to seeing him do his thing on Sunday, so, you know, it is great for our team, just for the morale of our team and everything.
Surtain said Waddle brought more to Denver than speed, speed, speed, but playmaking ability, and hes also got a good feel for the game as well, you know, knowing how to beat certain coverages, certain looks, so I would say it adds a whole different dynamic, for sure.
Its going to be fun to watch.
The Broncos completed their offseason program last week.
The Denver rookies, quarterbacks and injured players will report for training camp on July 22 at Broncos Park in Englewood, Colorado.
The other veterans will join them on July 28.
Denver starts its three-game preseason schedule against the Atlanta Falcons on Aug.
14.
This is probably, in my opinion, the furthest weve been at this point in the season, Nix said, so Im really confident and excited to get through the summer to training camp with these guys.