The Denver Broncos finally landed the big fish, pun intended, on Tuesday morning when they brought in Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins. The Broncos added a legitimate top receiver to their receiving core, which was lacking the true upper-end talent that Waddle brings to the table. The group is significantly deeper now than it was before, and helps reaffirm the Broncos as a title favorite for next year. George Paton finally delivered the big prize to Broncos fans.
The Broncos' group was propped up by unexpected production from a few pieces, with Troy Franklin being a catalyst for that movement. Franklin was abysmal in 2024, with some even wondering if he was on the roster bubble heading into 2025. He roughly tripled his production, bringing in over 700 receiving yards and becoming one of Bo Nix's favorite targets.
With the addition of Waddle, Franklin moves from a number two to a number three, which is a significant drop on a wide receiver depth chart. It could worry some to see Franklin drop that far, but the move for Waddle only means great things for the former Oregon Duck. Bringing in Waddle is incredible news for Franklin, and Broncos fans should still expect to see a lot of him on their TV screens next fall.
Troy Franklin is still key to the Denver Broncos' offensive success in 2026
The Broncos might have added a new star to their wide receiver room, but it does not mean that Franklin is suddenly on the back burner in Denver. If anything, bringing in Waddle confirms that the Broncos have big plans for their offense, and for Franklin specifically, in 2026. As their third receiver, Franklin is going to need to be a reliable target for Nix, something that he had too infrequently last year.
The Broncos will need to see Franklin continue working on his drop problem, which is part of why they brought in another receiver. His jump from being on the roster bubble to 65 receptions, 700 yards, and six scores is arguably the biggest progression any receiver in football made from 2024 to 2025. Don't expect the Broncos to turn a blind eye to that, especially if they can end up with three legitimate top receivers.
The Broncos are going to need to have a more explosive and threatening offense in 2026, and Franklin figures to be a huge part of that. He's still one of their faster receivers, is good in open space, and can win immediately off the line of scrimmage. If the Broncos get back to the conference title game in 2026, odds are Troy Franklin was a huge reason why.
Franklin should now begin to see a ton of matchups with third-string cornerbacks. Now set to play in his third season, he should be able to take advantage of those advantageous matchups. Still only 23 years old, the sky is still the limit, as his youth and development from year one into year two is simply impossible to ignore.