Broncos waste no time getting Jaylen Waddle involved in his preseason debut

DENVER — Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle didn’t want to keep his new fans waiting for an electric moment Friday night.

It took just three plays into the Broncos’ first offensive series for Bo Nix to target Waddle. With the offense in third-and-5 after a Denver replay challenge failed to turn a Courtland Sutton catch at the right sideline into a completion, Waddle broke out of a bunch formation, made his cut to get separation from Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney, and then settled under Nix’s pass at the Green Bay 36.

Welcome to Denver, @D1__JW‼️

📺: 9NEWS pic.twitter.com/qvxiByZBAl

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 22, 2026

Waddle then added 11 yards after the catch for a 35-yard gain, putting the Broncos in scoring range at the Green Bay 25-yard line. Three plays later, Nix hit running back RJ Harvey down the right flank on a wheel route for the touchdown that tied the game at 7-apiece.

The first-team offense played one more series, but Waddle’s night was done. That was a logical choice, given that the coveted offseason acquisition missed six days of practice due to muscle tightness.

Waddle returned to practice last Monday and by Wednesday received a full workload, punctuating his week by catching a 60-yard pass from Nix down the right sideline. That was determined to be enough for him to be ready to make his on-field game-action debut.

And based on what was witnessed Friday night, Waddle looks ready to galvanize the Broncos’ passing attack.

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