Aug 1, 2023; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants tight end Darren Waller (12) stretches during training camp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New York Giants Training Camp
NEW YORK — Darren Waller’s NFL future is in jeopardy.
Giants HC Brian Daboll said the TE has not been attending voluntary OTAs. Waller will likely remain away as he continues to contemplate his future.
GM Joe Schoen said last month that the team is not giving Waller a deadline to make a decision, but as training camp draws closer, we’d expect things to be finalized one way or another.
The Giants have made sure to bring in a contingency plan in the event he does opt to retire. The team drafted Penn State tight end Theo Johnson in the 4th round of April’s draft.
“We had to take that into account for sure,” Schoen said of Waller’s potential retirement after the draft. “But you know, Theo was the top player on our board. I’m trying to think, if there were any of these guys that we took that weren’t the top player on the board at the time…last night we left, he was sticking out for us. You always think when you come in the next morning, he’s going to go sooner and may not be there and we’re excited to get Theo.”
Waller once again dealt injuries that limited him to 12 games last season and averaged just 10.6 YPR, his lowest total since breaking out with the Raiders in 2019.
While he’s still the best tight end on the Giants’ roster, nagging injuries have followed him for three straight seasons, and he will turn 32 shortly after the start of the season.
