The Miami Dolphins executed one of the stranger trades of the NFL offseason when they acquired retired New York Giants tight end Darren Waller, who’s now unretired since Tuesday.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Giants will receive a 2026 sixth-round draft pick in exchange for a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick and the tight end they signed in 2023.
After unexpectedly making the playoffs in 2022, Giants general manager Joe Schoen traded a third-round draft pick for Waller to give quarterback Daniel Jones speedier weapons. Unfortunately for the Giants, Waller dealt with a consistent hamstring issue, catching only 52 passes for 552 yards and scoring just one touchdown. The Giants ended that season 6-11.
Waller retired before the 2024 season, citing his use as a blocking fullback on three plays in a game against the Buffalo Bills that made him question why he was still playing. At the time, it looked like the former Pro Bowler was ending his once-promising career on a low note. Now, Waller has a chance at redemption, or at least a chance for a better final season.
Waller has 350 receptions for 4,124 yards and 20 touchdowns in 86 career games. Many analysts considered him to be one of the best in the game, right alongside prolific tight ends Travis Kelce and George Kittle. However, Waller suffered several injuries and dealt with substance abuse issues throughout his time in the NFL. He was sober by 2023, but his physical limitations were more evident on the field.
Still, Waller must believe in himself enough to unretire and let the trade go through. According to Dan Duggan, senior writer at The Athletic, if Waller played last year, he would have made $10.5M plus over $1M in incentive bonuses. It’s unclear how much he’ll make with the Dolphins, but it’s clear Waller’s mindset has changed now that he has a new team to play for.
For the Dolphins, this is a bet that a year off did Waller some good and he can regain some of his elite form. At the very least, Waller could be a receiving threat deployed on third downs or special packages, without having to rely on him as the every-down tight end. This move also fills a hole for the Dolphins, who just traded tight end Jonnu Smith.
Last year, Smith caught 88 passes for 884 yards and scored eight touchdowns with Miami. Waller, if healthy, could potentially replicate Smith’s production, but that might be a tall task for the 32-year-old.
