The Denver Broncos made one of the biggest splashes of the NFL offseason, trading for Miami Dolphins star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in March. But Waddle left Broncos practice in early August with something Dolphins fans are all too familiar with: a soft-tissue injury, specifically a muscle strain in his left leg. He missed Denver's preseason opener on Friday as a result and hadn't practiced since.
Broncos fans got a welcome sight on Monday, though, as Waddle returned to practice ahead of the team's next preseason matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Friday at Mile High. "We're being smart with it, and he's coming along really well. So we'll see how this week unfolds," head coach Sean Payton said Monday.
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He's also no stranger to injuries, though. While he's missed only seven games in his career, he's popped up on the injury report virtually every season with some type of soft-tissue injury or joint sprain — including high ankle sprains, shoulder sprains, knee strains, and thigh, chest, rib, and hamstring injuries. He typically plays through them, but the sight of him hobbling to the blue medical tent or team locker room is etched in the minds of many Dolphins fans.
So whenever he shows up on the injury report, it draws immediate attention. Broncos fans, though, appear to have avoided the worst. They can now look forward to seeing their new star receiver in action — potentially as soon as Friday against the Packers.
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