# Waddle's $84M Broncos debut was a no-show

> Denver traded four picks for a star receiver, then watched him catch two yards of offense in a 31-10 loss.
- Title: Waddle's $84M Broncos debut was a no-show · New York Post
- Summary: Denver traded four picks for a star receiver, then watched him catch two yards of offense in a 31-10 loss. One game does not settle a trade, but Denver's new…
- Keywords: nfl, broncos, jaylen waddle, trades, bo nix, news, entertainment, Waddle's, 84M, debut, no-show, New York Post
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/15/sports/broncos-new-84-million-star-jaylen-waddle-was-invisible-in-disastrous-debut
- Published: 2026-09-15T19:08:29+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nfl, broncos, jaylen waddle, trades, bo nix, news, entertainment
## A debut nobody noticed
In Denver's 31-10 Monday night loss to the Chiefs, you could have watched the whole game and missed that Jaylen Waddle was on the field.

> you may have wondered whether prized trade acquisition Jaylen Waddle was even playing
## One catch, two yards
Waddle finished with a single catch for two yards on three targets. Courtland Sutton was barely better at two catches for 11 yards.
## The drop that mattered
Down 21-7 in the third quarter, Waddle dropped a third-down pass. Kenneth Walker III ran for 173 yards and a score as Kansas City pulled away.
## Bo Nix went backward
Nix threw for 131 yards with a touchdown and a pick. He was supposed to take a leap this year with a new number one receiver; only Evan Engram showed up.

> Nix was terrible and Denver's pass-catchers, aside from tight end Evan Engram, were non-existent
## Four picks for this
Denver sent the tanking Dolphins a 2026 first, a third and two fourths for Waddle, who has three years and $84.75 million left on his Miami extension.
## Miami already looks fine
The Dolphins spun those picks into Chris Johnson at No. 27, starting receiver Chris Bell and edge rusher Trey Moore. Bell is already starting.
## Key takeaway

One game does not settle a trade, but Denver's new offense showed nothing against the team it needs to beat.