George Paton Says Bo Nix is ‘Right’ About Broncos’ New Addition

According to Denver Broncos GM George Paton, when Patrick Surtain II found out that Jaylen Waddle was now his teammate in the Mile High City, he screamed with joy. Many Broncos fans likely had the same reaction, especially after all the Waddle trade rumors ahead of last November's deadline and a very quiet first week of 2026 free agency.

When the Waddle deal went through, my first thought was about how it would impact Bo Nix. Entering Year 3, Nix would have a truly bona fide, explosive weapon to pair with Courtland Sutton at wide receiver.

At the NFL owners meetings last week, Paton said Nix was "pretty excited" about the Waddle trade when the GM ran into him at Broncos HQ.

“I wasn’t with him when he found out, but he was pretty excited when I walked down to the training room. He was excited," Paton said of Nix. "He obviously went to dinner with all of us."

The trade went down on a Tuesday. The next day, Waddle was in Denver for his physical and to officially consummate the trade with the Miami Dolphins.

Waddle also hosted his first local presser (a Zoom call), and then went to dinner that night with several key Broncos, including Nix and Paton. Waddle was officially a Bronco.

Nix, the Quasi-GM

Bo Nix does a post-game interview from Arrowhead Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Over the two years he's been with the Broncos, Nix has shared his thoughts on several prospects the team has drafted and potential free-agent targets. According to Paton, Nix fancies himself a "quasi-GM," and while he's not always right, Denver's front-office czar concurs with his quarterback's read on Waddle.

"I think Bo thinks he is a quasi-GM sometimes," Paton said (Laughs). "Sometimes he is right, and sometimes he is wrong, but I think he’s right on this guy. This guy is pretty special.”

Waddle, 27, enters his sixth NFL season. He and Surtain went to college together at Alabama, and both were drafted in the top 10 back in 2021. They're close friends.

As a pro, Waddle has averaged 1,008 yards and five touchdowns per season. His last two years haven't been as productive as his first three were, but that can be chalked up to the injury woes and diminishing play of former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Waddle will be an excellent fit for the Broncos. He and Nix are going to hit the ground running. There's a reason the Broncos gave up a first and third-round pick to acquire Waddle.

“He is one of the more explosive playmakers in the league, first and foremost. [He has] great makeup and [is] a great competitor," Paton said of Waddle. "He will fit in well with our room... We have a great room and he just upgrades—or he just helps the room. He opens up the run game, and he will open it up for the other receivers, so we think he will fit in well with the group.”

Broncos Looking For Run-Game Improvements

The Broncos' run game could use all the help it can get, and that's no shade at J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. Honestly, though, after Dobbins went down last season, Harvey lacked down-to-down consistency as the RB1, so the Broncos need a little injury luck this year to keep J.K. on the field.

Defenses will have to play the Broncos more honestly and they won't be as comfortable loading the box because of Waddle's speed and explosiveness. Waddle is also a willing blocker, even if he's not as proficient as Lil'Jordan Humphrey, the latter of whom might want to finally consider making the position change to tight end.

It'll be fun to see how it all comes together. The Broncos won't convene for the initial phases of the offseason training program until May, with the first on-field activities coming in early June.

Between now and then, the Broncos have seven selections to make in the 2026 NFL draft, including a second-rounder in Paton's "sweet spot" at No. 62 overall. Paton isn't done adding to his team's arsenal.

Sign up for our free Denver Broncos On SI newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!