NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Denver Broncos must be careful with the new addition of Jaylen Waddle. While he could be the missing piece to their offense taking the next step, he could also become the next AJ Brown.
For all purposes, Waddle has never come across as a me-first type of player. While with the Miami Dolphins, he quietly did the dirty work while Tyreek Hill got all the praise. In his 5 seasons with the Dolphins, Waddle caught 373 passes for 5039 yards and 26 TDs. Those are impressive numbers considering he was WR2 most of the time.
Now, moving to the Broncos, the question is, where will he fit in the receiving room? Will the Broncos still ink Courtland Sutton as their No. 1, or will Waddle take that position and slide Sutton to the helpmate?
This could easily mirror the Brown situation in Philly. Brown was the guy while with the Tennessee Titans, but at some point, the losing started to pile up, Howie Roseman made an offer, and Brown was shipped to the Eagles. But Philly already had a No. 1 receiver in DeVonta Smith. But at that point, the Eagles were thinking Super Bowl and nothing else.
In his 4 seasons in Philly, Brown is still highly regarded as one of the NFL’s top playmakers, but his numbers are in a decline. However, in the team aspect of things, the Eagles did make it to 2 Super Bowls, winning one and losing one.
But there was still something simmering with Brown. Following the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Brown made a statement that shook the core of Eagles fans:
I’ve never been a champion at the highest level before but I thought my hard work would be justified by winning it all,” Brown said. “It wasn’t. My thrill for this game comes when i dominate. It’s the Hunt that does it for me. It’s when the Db drops his head and surrender because he can’t F with me . The Intense battles. Early mornings. Late nights. Sacrifices. I love putting smiles on peoples faces, don’t get me wrong but it just wasn’t what I thought it would be. It’s the journey that I love the most. BACK 2 Work!
While it seemed like nothing at the time, those words would come back to haunt Brown and the organization this past season. With another new OC at the helm of the Eagles’ offense, things didn’t go as smoothly, and rumors of Brown wanting out have been the hot topic this offseason.
This is what the Broncos must keep an eye on with Waddle, Sutton, and maybe even Nix. If numbers start to decline, but the Broncos are winning, would that play a role and cause locker room drama? What’s more is that the media has a way of dividing players and organizations with their outrageous takes. While it’s part of their job, most just make up stuff to have something to talk about.
As I stated earlier, Jaylen Waddle has never come across as that type of player, but neither did Brown until it became an issue. Many have pointed the finger in the direction of the Eagles’ OC, the head coach, and even Jalen Hurts. Can this be the same in Denver? Bo Nix is still a young player, and the Broncos are right to put weapons around him, but Waddle has to come in knowing they’ve had success before him, and no matter what he did in Miami, the Broncos are loaded. The ball will come, but not as easily as it did with the Dolphins.
In a plus for Waddle, he’s going to a team where his new QB led the NFL in Pass Attempts, 3rd in Passes Completed, and 8th in Passing Yards. Waddle is joining a team that wants to move the ball. He’s joining a team that wants to win, but with winning comes a different mindset. It’s a team game and one that requires players, even the high-profile stars, to put ego aside and fall in line.
As a fan of Waddle’s, I’m hoping the ego is not a factor here. He has not won with the Dolphins and now has a chance to do something special with the Broncos. Getting paid is always a reason to play the game, but as some of the greats will tell you, winning a Super Bowl trumps everything. I’m pretty sure Waddle wants to win, but what happens when he finally does win? Will he stay Jaylen Waddle or become AJ Brown?
