ENGLEWOOD – With three practices under his belt, the Broncos already are salivating over what Jaylen Waddle can bring to their aerial attack.

The wide receiver was by far the Broncos’ biggest offseason acquisition, and they gave up a boxcar load to get him. They shipped to Miami in March first- and third-round picks while also swapping fourth-round selections, with Denver getting the more favorable one.

Waddle took the field Tuesday for the first day of organized team activities at Broncos Park. He went through his third day of OTAs Thursday with the media present, and afterward, those on the Broncos were readily dispensing compliments.

“He’s had a good week,’’ said head coach Sean Payton. “He’s someone who picks things up real quick. He had a real good day (Wednesday). You can just feel his instincts, his quickness and his ability to really not only run fast, but stop fast. So he’s doing well.”

When Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga was with San Francisco, he went against Waddle’s Dolphins in 2022. He’s glad he won’t have to be covering him outside of practices.

“He’s been everything that he is expected to be,’’ Hufanga said. “I’m super excited that he is on our side, but at the same time, a lot of people forget that we have to go against him in practice. It’s not the easiest, but it’s also a good thing for us to practice. Going up against the best is what we want.”

After being the No. 6 pick in the 2021 draft by Miami out of Alabama, Waddle, in five seasons with the Dolphins, had 373 catches for 5,039 yards and 26 touchdowns. Hufanga talked about what makes him so special.

“For me, watching his tape, I think his ability to make every route look the same,’’ Hufanga said. “It’s pretty important as a defender when you make a 10-yard stop look like a go (route), a 10-yard dig like a go… Everything looks the same and it puts pressure on your back middle as a (defensive back), and so for him to bring that to our team is a blessing.”

Waddle was asked about that ability. Just in case any opposing defensive backs were listening, he was careful with his answer.

“I can’t really give away the sauce like that, but … it’s just marrying up your routes,’’ he said. “Make everything look like a go, everything look like (a shorter route).”

Waddle reported to Broncos Park on May 4 for the start of offseason drills, which for the first month consisted of weight lifting and conditioning. He said helping him adjust has been good friend Pat Surtain II, the Broncos star cornerback who was a college teammate, and quarterback Bo Nix, who grew up in Alabama and once played at rival Auburn.

“Being new in the city, it’s great to have someone who’s been here,’’ Waddle said. “(Surtain) showed me around the town. He’s been great, helping me pick where I’m going to stay at, things like that. (Surtain) and Bo, they’ve been on it.”

Nix, though, wasn’t on the practice field Thursday as a player. Still recovering from a broken right ankle suffered in a Jan. 17 playoff game against Buffalo, he observed the workout wearing Broncos gear but not his jersey. While Nix isn’t expected to practice at the OTA session next Tuesday through Thursday, Payton reiterated that he expects him to participate in the June 16-18 minicamp.

“You don’t see the pre-practice (work), but he’s been throwing,’’ Payton said. “I do think in our third week (for minicamp), you’ll see more of a role.”

With that in mind, Waddle doesn’t expect there to be much of an adjustment period between him and Nix.

“Bo’s a tremendous player,’’ Waddle said. “He’s a playmaker. He makes a lot of plays, so when you got a guy like that slinging the ball, I don’t think it’s going to take that much longer.”

While Nix has yet to practice, Broncos first-year offensive coordinator Davis Webb was quite active Thursday. Webb, after being Denver’s quarterbacks coach the previous three years, was promoted last February to replace the fired Joe Lombardi.

“I think the biggest change really is going to be more in season than this time of the year,’’ Payton said. “Joe would head up those meetings. I think once you get into the season, and we’re all meeting collectively and then he’s calling the game (will be the biggest change). But I think it’s going well.”

Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton called Webb a “mad scientist” and said he’s ready to call plays. Sutton also is fired up to be playing alongside Waddle.

“The first three days of practice have been nice, being able to see the things he does really well but being able to see it up close,’’ Sutton said. “He has tremendous speed, his speed and his acceleration are top tier. His understanding of offenses, understanding of just football knowledge, being able to understand how to manipulate his speed, to be able to get into these spots and his run after the catch is top tier. Once the ball get in his hand, he’s trying to get to the end zone.”

There has been talk about whether Waddle, 27, will supplant Sutton, 30 as Denver’s No 1 receiver. Sutton shrugged off any thoughts about his targets going down.

“At the end of the day, I want to win games,’’ he said. “We have the weapons in our (receiving room), not only just with myself and with Jaylen but the rest of the guys in the room.”

Sutton said the presence of Waddle will help in defenses not keying on him as much. Payton said Waddle mostly will be an outside receiver because “he’s doing too well outside,” but there might be some packages in which he moves inside. He said the Broncos had a “crystal-clear vision prior to the trade” as to what Waddle does well and now the mission is to “apply them into what we’re doing.”

Early reviews suggest the acclimation process is going very well.