Connecting the Final Dots on the Waddle Trade

Examining what the final scorecard looks like for the trade with the Denver Broncos

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle reacts during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium in December 2025. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

It took a few years after the Miami Dolphins' massive Laremy Tunsil to get a final scorecard on all the players they ended up acquiring after maneuvering draft picks they got in return, but we didn't have to wait nearly as long to wrap up the Jaylen Waddle deal.

For those who might not remember (or have forgotten on purpose), the Dolphins traded the speedy wide receiver to the Denver Broncos for first- and third-round picks in the 2026 draft and the teams also swapped fourth-round selections, with Miami dropping from 111th to 130th in the fourth round.

And this final scorecard looks like the Dolphins ended up with Chris Johnson, Chris Bell and Trey Moore, with Denver getting Waddle and rookie guard Kage Casey.

But because there was another trade involved with one of the Denver picks, the whole transaction needs to be expanded to include two other trades for a final total tally that looks like this:

Dolphins trade:
WR Jaylen Waddle
2025 third-round pick
2025 seventh-round pick

Dolphins get:
CB Chris Johnson
WR Chris Bell
EDGE Trey Moore
LB Kyle Louis
RB Ollie Gordon II

EXAMINING HOW WE GOT HERE

The whole series of transactions leading up to our final Waddle scorecard began with the 2025 draft trade with the Houston Texans when Miami gave up 2025 fourth- and seventh-round picks in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round selection and a 2026 third-round choice.

The Dolphins used that sixth-round pick on Gordon and the 2026 third-round selection became the 90th overall based on the Texans' 12-5 record and second-round playoff loss.

The Dolphins packaged that 90th overall selection along with the 30th overall pick they got from Denver for Waddle to move up to 27th in the first round in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. In that deal, they also got the 138th overall pick late in the fourth round and they used it on Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis.

Miami got Bell with the third-round pick it got from Denver and used the 130th selection in the Waddle trade on Moore.

EVALUATING THE TRADES

Looking at the totality of the moves off the Waddle trade, it's going to be difficult for it to work out as well as the Tunsil deal, but the potential certainly is there.

We've already picked out those as our two favorite selections of the 13-player Dolphins draft, though it may be a bit before Bell can make an impact considering he's recovering from a November ACL injury.

Gordon showed flashes as a rookie in 2025, though he'll need to become more consistent to earn a bigger role in his second season.

The other part of the equation is the Dolphins also eliminated the big salary-cap commitment to Waddle over the next two seasons, though they did take on some dead space by moving on from him.

In the end, though, this is a series of moves that look pretty good at this particular moment.