This post is part eight of a series counting down the 10 most important Las Vegas Raiders players under contract for next season (not including Derek Carr). Guys set to be free agents (Josh Jacobs, Jarrett Stidham, etc.) aren’t included here. Click here for Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six and Part Seven of this series.
No. 3: Darren Waller
After missing zero games across the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Waller has now played in just 20 of the Raiders’ 34 regular-season games since. To make matters worse, his 1,053 total yards in those 20 games are fewer than his 2019 and 2020 individual season totals.
So why have Waller this high?
Because at his best, Waller is an absolute game-changer. He’s not a “nice piece” or a
“quality player” — he’s a matchup nightmare who has the potential to form one of the league’s nastiest 1-2 punches alongside Davante Adams. But before he can get there, we need answers to two questions: will Waller even be a Raider next season? And if he is, can he stay healthy?
2022 Stats: 9 games, 28 receptions (43 targets), 388 yards, 3 TD
2023 Outlook
When the Raiders took the Bengals to the brink in the divisional round of the 2021-22 playoffs, it was Waller who led the team with 7 catches for 76 yards. In nine games last season, however, he had more than four catches just one time — and over 76 yards just once as well.
This disappointment, along with the glut of needs across the Raiders roster has led many to speculate about whether or not Waller might be available for the right price — with rumors circulating that the Packers have tried to acquire Waller twice already.
Nfl Las Vegas Raiders At Tennessee Titans
On one hand, the idea of trading away one of your best players seems ridiculous for a franchise allegedly trying to get back to the playoffs — but on the other, there’s an argument to be made that now might be the time to move. Waller will turn 31 in September and while the Raiders can get out of his contract after this season with minimal consequences, he is technically signed through the 2026 season thanks to an extension signed just before Week 1.
If the Raiders could get a premium pick for Waller — and free up considerable salary to spend on their defense — I think that as much as I love Waller (the person and the player), I’d have a hard time being mad about it. On the flip side, if he’s back in Vegas next season, the key would be him to find a way to be on the field for an entire season again. We’ve seen the way Josh McDaniels’ offense has benefitted guys at the tight end position, and while we didn’t get to see that happen in Year 1, there’s no reason to believe 2023 couldn’t be a different story.
