A panel of NFL personnel seem to believe the Miami Dolphins made the heist of the 2026 offseason
If the results of ESPN’s poll of NFL personnel are to be believed, the Miami Dolphins had the heist of the 2026 offseason.
When the Miami Dolphins traded wide receiver Jaylen Waddle back in March, it came as one of the big blockbuster moves of the offseason.
Waddle, a former top-10 draft choice who posted 1,000 yards receiving in his first three seasons in Miami, was shipped to Denver. He’ll play this year opposite Courtland Sutton and while catching passes for Bo Nix. Miami? They got a first and third round draft choice as the primary piece of the deal — but left their wide receiver room wide open for new quarterback Malik Willis. Time will tell if the move was the right one for Miami. But an ESPN poll of NFL scouts, executives, and coaches seems to believe the Dolphins made the right choice.
NFL personnel poll seems to think the Miami Dolphins made the right call with Jaylen Waddle
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler polled over 70 league employees about their top-10 best players at each position this offseason. It’s a continuation of an annual exercise. And on Wednesday, the wide receiver results were revealed. A grand total of 26 names were included as the top-10, honorable mentions, and “also receiving votes”.
Jaylen Waddle was the 25th name listed out of 26 total wide receivers. Just two years ago, Waddle ranked 14th in the same exercise by Fowler after posting his third 1,000 yard season. The last two years have not been kind to the former Dolphin, though — as the passing offense watched the wheels fall off the collective whole.
For what it is worth, I do believe Jaylen Waddle is better than the 25th best wide receiver in football. I think in different circumstances, Waddle would have been much more productive these past few years, too. But, alas, Waddle spent four seasons as the No. 2 in Miami behind Tyreek Hill, only getting his chance to be the No. 1 in 2025 when Tua Tagovailoa’s game fell apart at the seams.
Perhaps he’ll play to my own underlying standard in 2026 with the Broncos. If he does, I can already hear the cry of ‘that’s so Dolphins!’ from the Miami faithful. But if that’s how it plays out? You can consider the NFL personnel for Fowler’s poll to be in the wrong, too. Because something is seriously wrong if the going rate for the 25th best receiver in football is a first and third round draft choice in a trade. Either Waddle’s going to prove the Broncos right, or else Miami secured the heist of the offseason.
It’s one or the other.
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