Darren Waller
#1 TE,
Raiders
ACTUAL 2022
85 FPTS
RANK:31
2023 SEASON
168 FPTS
RANK:4
AGE
30 yrs
HEIGHT/WEIGHT
6'6'' / 255 lbs
COLLEGE
Georgia Tech
Retirement made official
Published: 2024-06-10
The Giants placed Waller on the reserve/retired list Monday, Howard Balzer of GoPHNX.com reports.
Waller informed New York of his intent to retire Sunday, and the team has wasted little time in officially putting the transaction forth. The 31-year-old's retirement frees up $11.9 million in cap space for the Giants this season, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com, but it leaves the team with $6.6 million in dead money both this year and in 2025. Waller's lone season in New York produced just 552 yards plus one touchdown across 12 games, but he'll best be remembered for a phenomenal two-year stretch from 2019-20, when as a standout for the Raiders he exceeded 1,100 receiving yards twice and combined for 12 touchdowns on 197 catches.
Informs team of intent to retire
Published: 2024-06-09
Waller has informed the Giants that he is planning to retire, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Waller had been contemplating retirement since shortly after the Giants' season ended in January, and it became more apparent in recent weeks that he was leaning toward hanging up his cleats. The veteran tight end didn't attend New York's OTAs, and the organization was well aware that he was potentially not returning for the 2024 campaign. Waller is walking away from the NFL at the age of 31 having played eight seasons in the league -- two with the Ravens, five with the Raiders and one with the Giants. He accumulated 350 career receptions for 4,124 yards and 20 touchdowns over 86 regular-season games. New York drafted Theo Johnson in the fourth round of this year's draft, and he'll presumably compete with 2022 fourth-rounder Daniel Bellinger for the team's lead role at tight end.
Likely announcing retirement soon
Published: 2024-06-03
The Giants expect Waller to announce his retirement within the next week or so, ESPN.com's Jordan Raanan reports.
The team anticipates an announcement before mandatory minicamp June 11-13, with sources close to Waller suggesting he's leaning toward retirement. He said Friday that a decision is coming soon, and he's been busy off the field working on his music career and finalizing a divorce. Waller missed five or more games each of the past three seasons and thus finished with no more than 665 yards or three TDs. He had back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons in 2019-20 with the Raiders, peaking at 107-1,196-9 in 2020. If Waller has a late change of heart and decides to play another season, he'll be part of a New York offense that signed three guards in free agency and drafted WR Malik Nabers sixth overall, though the QB situations remains as shaky as ever with Daniel Jones recovering from an ACL tear and Drew Lock taking first-team reps this spring. Daniel Bellinger, Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz give the Giants capable blockers at tight end, while incoming fourth-round pick Theo Johnson has the speed (4.57 40) and size (6-6, 259) to develop into a receiving threat. Waller will turn 32 in September, five days after the Giants' season opener against Minnesota.
Not at OTAs
Published: 2024-05-23
Coach Brian Daboll relayed Thursday that Waller remains absent from the Giants' OTAs, Pat Leonard of the Daily News reports.
Waller's absence isn't surprising given that he's considering retirement, but Daboll indicated that the Giants plan to give the 31-year-old tight end the time he needs to make a call on his plans for 2024."[We will] let Darren take what [time] he needs to take, and once the decision is made, we'll go from there," Daboll noted Thursday. If Waller elects not to play this season, Daniel Bellingerwould be the next man up in a TE corps that also currently includes Theo Johnson, Jack Stoll, Chris Manhertz, Lawrence Cager and Tyree Jackson.
Should decide on retirement soon
Published: 2024-03-07
Waller said Wednesday that he's still undecided on retirement but will make a decision "pretty soon," Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports.
While he doesn't expect to decide before the start of the 2024 league year March 11, the 31-year-old tight end said he doesn't want it become "this drawn-out thing" and will give the Giants time to adjust if they end up needing to replace him. If he waits too long the team might take the decision out of his hands, as Waller doesn't have any guarantees remaining on his contract and is scheduled for at least $12 million in compensation each of the next three seasons. The Giants can free up $11.625 million in cap space by declaring Waller as a post-June 1 release, though multiple reports have suggested they'd rather have him back. The tight end was on pace to catch 85 passes for 923 yards through seven games in 2023 before a Week 8 hamstring injury derailed his season and led to a third straight year with at least five missed games. He had 2,341 yards and 12 TDs in 32 games between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, compared to 1,605 yards and six TDs in 32 games over the past three years combined.
Not certain to return after all
Published: 2024-03-02
Waller still hasn't decided whether he will return to the Giants next season or retire, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports.
Early Friday, news emerged that Waller had contemplated retirement during the offseason but ultimately decided to return. However, the veteran tight end subsequently texted the Post to explain that, despite those reports, he is undecided about retirement. New York gave up a third-round draft pick to acquire Waller from the Raiders in March of 2023, and it's safe to assume that the organization was expecting to get more than one season out of him when making that deal. If Waller does decide to retire, it would be a significant blow to the Giants' air attack, as he ranked second on the team with 52 catches and 552 receiving yards last season despite playing in only 12 games.
Expected back in New York for 2024
Published: 2024-03-01
Waller thought about retiring earlier this offseason, but he'll continue playing football and isn't expected to be a cap casualty, Paul Schwartz and Ryan Dunleavy of the NY Post report.
A midseason hamstring injury cost Waller five games in 2023, his first year with the Giants and third straight season missing at least five contests. He has three years remaining on his contract but no salary guarantees, with the Giants able to add around $11.6 million in 2024 cap space by declaring the tight end as a post-June 1 cut (or waiting until June to trade him). It sounds like player and team want to give things another shot in New York, hoping Waller can stay relatively healthy for the first time since 2020 even though he'll turn 32 in September. He was on pace to catch 85 passes for 923 yards through seven games in 2023 before the hamstring injury derailed his season Week 8. Waller missed the next five games and then played less than two-thirds of snaps on offense in each of the final four weeks of the season.
Tallies 45 yards in season finale
Published: 2024-01-08
Waller brought in five of six targets for 45 yards in Sunday's 27-10 win over Philadelphia.
Waller played just over half of New York's offensive snaps in the contest and finished tied for the team lead in receptions. That led to the fourth-highest yardage mark among Giants pass catchers on an unusually productive day for the team through the air. Waller missed five games in the middle of the campaign due to a hamstring injury, but he was reasonably productive when healthy despite New York's offensive struggles, and he finished the season with 52 catches (on 74 targets) for 552 yards and a touchdown over 12 contests. Waller is under contract through 2026 and should return next season as the Giants' primary tight end and one of the team's biggest threats in the passing game.
Five catches in Week 17
Published: 2023-12-31
Waller caught five of six targets for 51 yards in Sunday's 26-25 loss to the Rams.
Waller posted his highest yardage total since Week 7, as the veteran tight end finally seems to be fully recovered from a hamstring injury that kept him out for five games. He has just one touchdown among his 47 catches for 507 yards on 68 targets as a member of the Giants, but Waller will look to finish his season on a high note in Week 18 against the Eagles.