The Las Vegas Raiders made a number of moves this offseason, bringing in players whom they believe will put them over the hump. They also moved on from some players with the most surprising of those being the trade of tight end Darren Waller to the New York Giants.
Even though Waller has been hampered by injuries over the past couple of seasons, he has proven to be one of the most dynamic players at his position when he is on the field. Additionally, the Raiders had just signed Waller to a three-year contract extension prior to the start of last season.
But apparently, the relationship between Waller and the Raiders had long been a little sketchy. Waller’s agent Drew Rosenhaus appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and revealed that the Raiders nearly traded Waller last season and the tight end had been open to a move ever since:
“The Raiders were in negotiations last year to trade Darren Waller to the Packers and the Dolphins..
Once they shopped Darren he was always open to being moved and he’s excited to join the Giants” ~ @DrewJRosenhaus #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/90cqlr8LAs
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 5, 2023
Rosenhaus mentioned the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins as teams he believed were interested in acquiring Waller last year, and the idea of the tight end joining the Dolphins in particular is a scary proposition. Waller, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle would have been flat-out frightening for a defense to try and cover.
But the Raiders would keep Waller and then sign him to a deal that made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL at $17 million a year. And now none of it matters as Waller is now with the Giants, poised to be the centerpiece of their aerial attack should he be able to stay on the field.
The relationship between a franchise and its players is always so important. Players want loyalty from their teams, and when they know they have been shopped and the team is fine with dealing them away, it can put a strain on things. Credit to Waller for remaining professional throughout the year and not causing an issue, though that new contract likely played a role in that as well.
The Raiders have since brought in Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard to fill the void at tight end and both have been productive at times throughout their career. Whether they can collectively fill the void left by Waller remains to be seen.
