Although the Oakland Raiders are coming off a disappointing 2019 NFL season, they can take solace in the fact that tight end Darren Waller emerged as a breakout star for them.
The Raiders will have a number of voids to fill on the roster this offseason after finishing 7-9 and falling just short of the playoffs up until the season finale. Fortunately, one spot they no longer need to worry about is tight end thanks to Waller’s development.
However, it appears Waller suffered a bit of a setback at some point down the final stretch of the year. As a result, he has since had to have surgery to repair an injured thumb.
According to Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle, head coach Jon Gruden gave a positive update on the status of his injury following the surgery:
Gruden: Darren Waller had surgery on his thumb. “He’s going to be OK.” #Raiders
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) December 30, 2019
It is certainly encouraging to see that Gruden’s comments indicate that Waller’s injury is not deemed to be too serious. After all, Oakland made quite the investment when they signed him signed to a three-year contract extension with the Raiders through the 2023 season.
Waller wasted no time in providing the Raiders with plenty of bang for their buck by establishing himself as one of the few bright spots in an otherwise lackluster offense. He served as the most viable weapon in the passing game for quarterback Derek Carr after hauling in 90 receptions for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Although Waller’s breakout year served as quite a treat for fans, it also put a spotlight on how shorthanded the receiving corps was. While he had no problems serving as a safety net for Carr, the lack of firepower on the outside allowed teams to start scheming against him in order to contain his production.
The Raiders have a big offseason ahead of them as they look to upgrade their roster while dealing with the relocation to Las Vegas for the 2020 NFL season. It is safe to say that Gruden will be relying heavily on Waller as one of his main attractions for the new stadium.
