Darren Waller

Giants TE Darren Waller To Miss Time

November 1st, 2023 at 2:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Darren Waller is unlikely to be in uniform when the Giants face the Raiders, nixing the Week 9 reunion encounter. The veteran tight end also cited his last Raiders season in pointing to a potential multiweek absence this year.

Once again battling a hamstring injury, Waller said he expects to be out “weeks,” per the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard. Referring to this latest hamstring malady as one that “might take a little bit” to heal, Waller expects to miss time. While Waller has appeared on the Giants’ injury report with groin and hamstring trouble this season, he has played in every game this season.

But the talented tight end referenced his 2022 hamstring injury, one that caused him to miss eight games last season, regarding his potential plans for rehabbing this latest ailment. Waller, 31, said (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) he rushed back from last season’s hamstring injury, which caused him to be shut down again. Waller missed three games but appeared close to returning midway through last season, but an aggravation led to the Raiders placing him on IR. Waller spent five weeks on IR. The Raiders then expressed frustration with Waller during his stay on IR; the team parted ways with him via the March trade.

The Raiders swiftly bailed on the power structure that jettisoned Waller, who had been a key performer for the team during the Jon Gruden years. The Josh McDaniels–Dave Ziegler regime still extended Waller just before the start of last season, after an aggressive push — which included an agent change — by the Pro Bowl tight end. The Raiders traded Waller for the No. 100 overall pick this year and replaced him by drafting Michael Mayer in Round 2.

Effectively punting on the tight end position following Evan Engram‘s Jaguars defection, the Giants have Waller signed through 2026. While they could have moved on free of charge after this season, an offseason restructure will prevent that. Talk of a future separation are premature, as Waller has helped a struggling offense this year. His 384 receiving yards lead the Giants; he caught seven passes for 98 yards in their win over the Commanders.

NFL Injury Updates: Armstead, Andrews, Waller, Okudah, Moss

September 9th, 2023 at 9:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins are expected to be productive on offense with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa under center, but protection for him up front will be critical to his success. Miami will be shorthanded up front to begin the campaign.

Left tackle Terron Armstead is out for the Dolphins’ opener against the Chargers, as noted by NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. The four-time Pro Bowler is dealing with back, knee and ankle injuries and has not practiced since August 16. He was carted off the field that day, which represented a setback from his ongoing recovery from offseason knee surgery.

Armstead, 32, expressed optimism that he would be healthy in time for Week 1 before suffering the new injuries last month. His absence will be sorely missed given his importance to the team as a high-end blocker when available, and the five-year, $75MM pact he signed with the Dolphins last offseason. Wolfe notes that veteran Kendall Lamm is expected to get the nod in place of Armstead.

Here are some other injury updates in advance of Sunday’s action:

The focal point of the Ravens‘ new-look passing game will likely not be in action tomorrow. Tight end Mark Andrews was listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report, but he is not expected to play against the Texans, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The three-time Pro Bowler has been dealing with a quad injury recently, but he practiced on a limited basis each day this week. If he does indeed miss the contest, Baltimore will turn to 2022 draftees Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar at the TE spot, while leaning on a revamped receiver room which added Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round rookie Zay Flowers in the offseason.
Darren Waller‘s Giants debut may be delayed. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the 30-year-old is dealing with a hamstring injury, and his availability for Monday night against the Cowboys is in question. Waller is no stranger to hamstring issues, and they caused signficant missed time during his Raiders tenure. Upon being traded to New York, he received an opportunity to serve as the team’s top pass-catcher, so any absence would deal a blow to the Giants’ offense. 2022 fourth-rounder Daniel Bellinger would take on an increased role at the TE spot if Waller were unable to play.
Cornerback Jeff Okudah has been ruled out by the Falcons, Wolfe notes. The former No. 3 pick had a disappointing run in Detroit which included a number of significant injuries, one of which was a 2021 Achilles tear. Plenty is at stake for him in Atlanta, as he is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Okudah, 24, suffered a leg injury last month and his recovery was not expected to last deep into the start of the regular season. Free agent signing Tre Flowers could step into a starting role opposite A.J. Terrell against the Panthers on Sunday.
Colts running back Zack Moss was downgraded to doubtful by a team announcement on Saturday. He is recovering from a broken arm, and it was always in the air whether or not he would recover in time to play Week 1. Of course, the absence of the former Bills draftee will compound the fact that Jonathan Taylor is on the PUP list to begin the season, meaning he will be sidelined for at least four weeks. Plenty of rushing responsibility will likely fall to former UDFA Deon Jackson and 2021 Rams seventh-rounder Jake Funk in quarterback Anthony Richardson‘s NFL debut.

Darren Waller Injuries Led Raiders To Pursue Trade; Team Tried To Re-Sign Foster Moreau

July 13th, 2023 at 5:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Raiders attempted to regroup after their 2019 Antonio Brown trade netted them zero game appearances from the mercurial talent, a Darren Waller flier paid considerable dividends. Waller anchored multiple Raiders passing attacks, leading to two contract extensions.

The second of those came just before last season, when Waller hired Drew Rosenhaus to hammer out a three-year, $51MM deal that was finalized just before Week 1. However, Waller ended up missing more time due to injury last season. As the 2023 league year began, the Raiders traded Waller to the Giants for a third-round compensatory pick — the same choice the Chiefs sent over for Kadarius Toney last year.

It is not especially common to see teams bail on players months after authorizing extensions, and while rumors about off-field issues cropped up, Adam Caplan of ProFootballNetwork.com notes the Raiders are believed to have grown concerned about Waller’s mounting injury trouble. Some Raiders staffers viewed the injury trouble as a big enough issue to explore the trade, per Caplan. Trade talks with the Packers even occurred before last year’s deadline.

Waller, 30, has missed 14 games over the past two seasons. Last year, hamstring trouble led to eight absences. Waller missed three games before being placed on IR, ensuring he would be sidelined for at least four more. The nagging issue ended up taking two months of game action off Waller’s schedule, and his extended absence led to some in-house frustration. While the veteran tight end returned in mid-December and played the final four Raiders games, the team still decided to accept the Giants’ offer and move on after four-plus years.

The Raiders initially signed Waller off the Ravens’ practice squad late during the 2018 season. In 2019, the converted wide receiver who nearly saw substance-abuse issues lead him out of the NFL posted a 1,145-yard receiving season. A year later, Waller accumulated 1,196 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2021, however, ankle trouble affected Waller during training camp and then recurred in-season. An IT band injury sustained during the Raiders’ Thanksgiving win over the Cowboys later cost Waller four games.

Lacking the receiving talent the Raiders currently possess, the Giants will count on Waller shaking off his injury problems. Waller’s contract, which the Giants restructured soon after acquiring him, runs through 2025. Although the restructure makes a future cut slightly more expensive, the Giants can move on from Waller and take only a $2.5MM dead-money hit by designating him as a post-June 1 cut in 2024. While the team did trade a third-round pick for the accomplished pass catcher — one of just eight tight ends to ever record two 1,100-yard receiving seasons — the Giants can move on rather cheaply despite Waller securing a position-leading AAV from the Raiders last September.

Waller’s injuries led to increased Foster Moreau time. The former fourth-round pick was not a notable part of the Raiders’ passing attack in 2019 or 2020, but as Waller became increasingly unavailable, the team needed its backup more. Moreau combined for 63 receptions, 793 yards and five touchdown receptions over the past two years. The Raiders attempted to re-sign Moreau, Caplan adds, but ended up going with a combination of UFA addition Austin Hooper and second-round pick Michael Mayer.

Moreau also saw a cancer diagnosis hijack his free agency. The Bengals hosted the fifth-year player on a visit, but a subsequent Saints meeting led to a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis. But Moreau is now in remission and signed to a three-year, $12.23MM Saints contract. As the Raiders turn the page at tight end and quarterback, the LSU alum and New Orleans native will play for his hometown team and keeping working with Derek Carr.

TE Darren Waller Not Surprised By Raiders Trade

June 24th, 2023 at 10:09am CST by Ben Levine

Darren Waller struggled to find his footing with new head coach Josh McDaniels leading the way in Las Vegas. Even after the tight end inked a three-year, $51MM extension last offseason, there were rumblings that he had become a source of frustration within the organization during the 2022 season.

Waller was ultimately traded to the Giants back in March, and the tight end acknowledged that the move didn’t come as a huge surprise.

“Not totally shocked,” Waller told Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I had heard some things. There were different moments throughout the year that I heard I may be traded or I may not. So the actual event of it wasn’t too shocking.

“But I didn’t expect it to be the Giants.”

Following 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020, Waller was limited to only 11 games in 2021. He missed another eight games in 2022, a factor that likely contributed to the organization’s frustrations. It seemed like rival teams were aware of the disconnect between Waller and the coaching staff; we heard that the Packers tried to trade for the player midseason, and agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed that the front office even shopped Waller last offseason.

So, when Waller was ultimately traded, the move naturally didn’t come as a huge shock to the 30-year-old. Waller admitted that he was surprised that he was dealt to New York, perhaps because they hadn’t been definitively listed as a suitor (the only two reported teams that had shown interest were the Packers and Dolphins).

On paper, the Giants seemed like a logical landing spot. The team didn’t do much last season to replace Evan Engram, leaning mostly on Daniel Bellinger at tight end. In New York, Waller should emerge as one of Daniel Jones‘ top targets, and the tight end is excited about the opportunity.

“It’s been great,” Waller said of his Giants experience. “It’s been a great challenge. I love a good challenge and just forming a new relationship with my teammates. They’re really excited about winning. They’re really solid about doing things the right way and continuing to build a foundation on what they started last year. I’m just excited to be a part of it.”

Dolphins, Raiders Held Darren Waller Trade Talks

April 7th, 2023 at 7:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

Darren Waller was traded to the Giants last month, but the Pro Bowl tight end was in trade talks long before that point. While the Packers were already a known suitor, another one emerged last year.

The Dolphins were in on Waller trade talks in 2022, as noted by his agent Drew Rosenhaus during a Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link). Rosenhaus added that Waller was “very nearly” dealt by Vegas last offseason, the time at which the team starting seriously looking into moving on from him. Injuries played a part in contract negotiations, which ultimately ended in a new deal making the former former sixth-rounder the league’s highest paid tight end ($17MM per season).

Waller’s injury and recovery troubles emerged as a sore spot between himself and the Raiders, making it little surprise that he was eventually dealt despite having the new contract in hand. The Georgia Tech alum has remained productive when on the field in recent years, but he has suited up for a full season only twice in his career (2019 and 2020). That, coupled with his age of 30 and hefty contract will make his availability for the Giants a key factor in their success in the passing game.

Miami appeared to be set at the top of the tight end depth chart heading into 2022 with Mike Gesicki playing on the franchise tag. The arrival of new head coach Mike McDaniel brought about a shift in offensive scheme, though, and resulted in Gesicki’s role and playing time changing dramatically. The former second-rounder was limited to 32 catches in 2022, and he unsurprisingly departed in free agency.

While Gesicki’s future was in question with McDaniel at the helm, it is interesting that Waller was a target of theirs. The latter is a converted wide receiver, and is known far more for his pass-catching abilities than his effectiveness as a blocker. The Dolphins’ offense calls for more contributions on the ground from the TE position, especially considering their dynamic receiver tandem of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Replacing Gesicki (as of 2023) with Waller would nevertheless have marked a notable move on Miami’s part.

Instead, they have extended Durham Smythe to have some familiarity at the position this season. Gesicki inked a deal with the Patriots, while Hunter Long was part of the Jalen Ramsey trade. The Dolphins are thus expected to make at least one notable tight end addition, likely at the draft. Their situation would have been far different, of course, had trade talks with the Raiders progressed further last year.

NFL Restructures: Smith, Mahomes, Fitzpatrick, Peat, Thomas, Hines, Waller

March 18th, 2023 at 2:10pm CST by Ely Allen

We had news recently that Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith had agreed to restructure his contract with the team, reducing his massive $17.6MM cap hit. Thanks to Todd Archer of ESPN, we now have some details on the deal. Smith was headed into the last year of an eight-year agreement, so his restructure essentially functions as a one-year contract.

The newly restructured contract will be a one-year, $6MM deal with a potential maximum value of $17MM. He received a $3MM signing bonus for the changes and has his $3MM base salary guaranteed. The deal rapidly escalates from there with several playing time incentives. Smith will receive an additional $1MM bonus for each of these snap share thresholds: 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, and 90%. This means that if he plays over 90% of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps, he will receive $9MM, one for each of the nine levels.

He can also receive playoff incentives, 75% of which are paid off of wins alone. The remaining 25% is paid if he plays over half of the team’s offensive snaps in those wins. He would receive $500,000 for each playoff win in which he plays the majority of the snaps. With four possible playoff wins, that’s a total of $2MM in playoff bonuses. Those plus the $9MM from the playing time incentives and the $6MM guaranteed at signing push the contract to it’s maximum value of $17MM.

Here is some other news on restructures from around the league:

The Chiefs created some financial breathing room by restructuring star quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘s massive contract, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The team converted $12MM of his 2023 roster bonus into a signing bonus, creating $9.6MM in cap space for the season.
Yates also reports that the Steelers found some cap space by restructuring the contract of a star. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick agreed to a restructured deal that would reward the Steelers with $10.07MM of additional cap space in 2023 by converting $13.42MM of his 2023 salary into a signing bonus.
The Saints were able to gain some cap room by restructuring the deal of guard Andrus Peat, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The team converted $4MM of his 2023 salary into a signing bonus, reducing his salary from $11.83MM to $7.83MM. He then took an additional pay cut to reduce his 2023 base salary to $1.5MM as the team voided out his 2024 salary, adding three more voidable years to the deal. The moves resulted in an additional $9.53MM in cap space for New Orleans.
Another NFC South player reportedly took a pay cut as Panthers tight end Ian Thomas agreed to a restructured deal, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. In his new deal, Thomas will earn $3MM in 2023 and $3.65MM in 2024. The deal creates an additional $2.88MM in cap space.
Another report from Yates tells us that the Bills have agreed to a renegotiated contract with running back Nyheim Hines. While the details are not yet available, it entails a $1MM signing bonus and the opportunity to earn $4.79MM in bonuses, clearing out some cap space for Buffalo while providing some incentives for Hines next season.
Lastly, following the tight end’s trade to the Giants, Darren Waller has agreed to a renegotiated deal with his new team, according to Yates. New York has converted $9.84MM of his 2023 base salary into a signing bonus. The move creates $7.87MM in additional cap space for the Giants.

Raiders To Trade Darren Waller To Giants

March 14th, 2023 at 11:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

In need of a few pass catchers, the Giants have struck a deal to land a former Pro Bowler. The Raiders are sending Waller to New York, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The Giants are sending the No. 100 overall pick to the Raiders for the veteran tight end, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This is the third-round compensatory pick the Giants obtained in the Kadarius Toney trade with the Chiefs. The Giants had been eyeing tight ends, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, and they will make their move via trade.

This comes less than a year after Waller agreed to an extension with the Raiders. That $17MM-per-year contract will now be the Giants’ responsibility. Hours after their Jakobi Meyers acquisition, the AFC West team is shipping out one of its veteran playmakers. For a bit, the Raiders had five skill-position players tied to eight-figure-per-year contracts or a franchise tag (Waller, Meyers, Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Josh Jacobs). That number will drop back to four.

The Packers made an offer for Waller at last year’s deadline, but the Raiders stood pat. And, as of two weeks ago, they were not viewed as eager to move on from Waller. That said, a report last season indicated some in the organization were frustrated with his slow-progressing return from a hamstring injury.

Although the Giants effectively opted not to replace Evan Engram last season, they are acting on that front now. Fewer than 10 tight ends in NFL history have strung together back-to-back 1,100-yard receiving seasons; Waller is among them. Even with Jeremy Shockey excelling in the 2000s, no Giants tight end has ever reached the 1,100-yard plateau in a season. That achievement occurred from 2019-20; Waller has battled some injuries in the seasons since.

The Raiders had given Waller three contracts, including two extensions, as he became their No. 1 option in the wake of the Antonio Brown deal combusting before he played a game in Oakland. A former Ravens wide receiver who nearly flamed out of the league due to substance-abuse issues, Waller launched a comeback with the Raiders. The Jon Gruden-era pickup led the team in receiving in 2019 and ’20, earning Pro Bowl acclaim for his work in the latter slate.

Engram also earned Pro Bowl honors during 2020, when the game not being played led to no alternates distorting the accomplishment, but Waller’s numbers dwarfed the ex-Giants first-rounder’s production. The Giants let Engram walk in free agency last year, tiring of the receiving tight end’s inconsistency. They will now make Waller a centerpiece player in their passing attack, one that still needs more pieces despite Sterling Shepard agreeing to come back. Waller and Saquon Barkley will represent the initial cornerstones of Daniel Jones‘ fifth Giants attack.

This year’s wide receiver market does not house many impact players, and while the Giants have been connected to receiver pursuits, they will take on Waller’s $11MM 2023 base salary. He is signed through 2026 at a reasonable rate — salaries of $10.5MM, $11.5MM and $13.5MM are also on the deal — despite the $17MM AAV breaking George Kittle‘s tight end record last year. The Giants will determine Waller’s fit in Brian Daboll’s offense; the $8.25MM guaranteed this year represent the last of Waller’s locked-in money.

Josh McDaniels has now shipped out the Raiders’ passing-game pillars from the Gruden period, cutting Derek Carr and now unloading Waller’s deal. The Raiders now have a need at tight end, with Foster Moreau also a free agent. The 2023 draft class is believed to be deep at the position, so the Raiders should be considered candidates to nab one of the top prospects. This trade also will not tag Las Vegas for dead money much. They will save $11.38MM as a result of the move.

AFC West Notes: Waller, Chiefs, Broncos

March 3rd, 2023 at 10:39am CST by Sam Robinson

Darren Waller came up in trade talks last year, generating Packers interest ahead of the deadline, and the veteran tight end missed a big chunk of the Raiders‘ season due to a nagging hamstring injury that may or may not have irked some with the team. This came after the Raiders reached a three-year, $51MM extension with the former Pro Bowler just before the season. Despite Waller’s disappointing slate and the team moving on from Derek Carr, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes the Silver and Black are not looking to move on from the talented tight end (subscription required).

Waller’s $12MM cap number checks in considerably lower than Chandler Jones‘ ($19.3MM), but Howe adds the latter is also unlikely to be moved. The Raiders did not receive what they had hoped from Jones, who totaled just 4.5 sacks and seven QB hits in his Las Vegas debut. The Raiders would save $9MM-plus by trading Jones, 33, but the ex-Cardinals All-Pro’s trade value may not be especially high right now. Jones still has $16MM in guarantees remaining on his three-year, $51MM deal.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

The Chiefs had once eyed Mike Kafka to succeed Eric Bieniemy as OC, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, but they had envisioned the latter landing a head coaching job. Bieniemy famously failed to do so and ended up leaving for a play-calling role in Washington after five years. This proved too long for Kafka to wait; he is now the Giants’ play-caller and joined this year’s HC carousel. Benefiting from the past two offseasons’ events, Matt Nagy replaced Kafka as QBs coach and has since replaced Bieniemy. Nagy’s Bears HC shortcomings notwithstanding, Breer adds he is seen as a possible Andy Reid heir apparent in Kansas City. Reid shot down retirement rumors after Super Bowl LVII, but the future Hall of Famer will turn 65 this month and is going into his 25th season as a head coach.
Graham Glasgow, Ronald Darby and Chase Edmonds loom as cut candidates for the Broncos, who have some needs to fill in free agency. It is possible the Broncos release all three, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. Denver restructured Glasgow’s contract in 2022 and saw him become needed after injuries to guard Quinn Meinerz and center Lloyd Cushenberry. But the team can save $11MM by releasing Glasgow. The team can add $9.6MM by cutting Darby, who suffered a torn ACL in October. Rookie Damarri Mathis fared decently replacing the veteran opposite Patrick Surtain II. The Broncos picked up Edmonds at the deadline from the Dolphins; they can save $5.9MM by releasing the ex-Cardinals starter. Denver should be able to add a veteran for cheaper, given this year’s crowded running back market, and Sean Payton favorite Latavius Murray is likely a candidate to be re-signed.
For what it’s worth, Russell Wilson‘s office is no longer in use. The space that drew considerable attention as the former Seahawks star struggled in Denver has been cleaned out, Mike Klis of 9News notes. While Broncos players did not necessarily voice issues about Wilson’s office, it attracted scrutiny during a 5-12 season. Wilson previously agreed to stop using it during the season’s final two weeks.
Kyle Van Noy wants to stay with the Chargers, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, who notes the versatile linebacker should have a chance to return. The Bolts signed Van Noy to a low-cost deal late in the 2022 offseason. His role expanded after Joey Bosa‘s groin injury, and the 13-game starter hit the five-sack mark for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Conversely, Morgan Fox will probably depart in free agency, Popper adds. Fox registered 6.5 sacks and likely will price himself out of Los Angeles, as the Bolts want to re-sign right tackle Trey Pipkins and linebacker Drue Tranquill.
Mecole Hardman recently underwent groin surgery, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The November injury kept the contract-year wide receiver out of Super Bowl LVII. Hardman will attempt to get healthy ahead of a free agency bid, with Howe adding he will need around two months to recover (Twitter link). The Chiefs have Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster set to hit the market. Mutual interest exists between the Chiefs and Smith-Schuster.

Raiders Activate TE Darren Waller, WR Hunter Renfrow

December 17th, 2022 at 4:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Derek Carr and the Raiders offense will be getting some significant reinforcement. The Raiders have activated tight end Darren Waller and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow from injured reserve, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).

Waller hasn’t seen the field since October but it took the front office a month to finally place him on IR, delaying his required four-game absence. After two-straight 1,000-yard campaigns in 2019 and 2020, Waller was limited to 665 receiving yards in 11 games in 2021. His hamstring injury has limited him to only five appearances in 2022, with the former Pro Bowler hauling in 16 receptions for 175 yards and one score. Waller inked a three-year, $51MM extension with the Raiders back in September.

Renfrow has dealt with a handful of injuries in 2022, limiting him to 21 receptions in six games before being sidelined. The 26-year-old was coming off a breakout campaign in 2021 that saw him haul in 103 receptions en route to a Pro Bowl nod. The wideout inked a $32MM deal with the organization during the offseason.

Without Waller and Renfrow in the lineup, the Raiders have been leaning heavily on Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs, with both players having already topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage. The Raiders second-leading receiver this season has been Mack Hollins, who has hauled in 47 catches for 588 yards and three touchdowns.

The Raiders made a handful of additional moves as they prepare for tomorrow’s game against the Patriots. Las Vegas promoted offensive linemen Sebastian Gutierrez and Jordan Meredith to the active roster. To make room for today’s transaction, the Raiders cut wide receiver DJ Turner and tight end Jacob Hollister.

Raiders’ Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow Return To Practice

December 14th, 2022 at 3:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

Reinforcements are on the way for the Raiders on offense. Vegas has designated both tight end Darren Waller and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow to return from IR (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).

Waller has been out since mid-October, but it was not until one month after his most recent game played that the Raiders placed him on IR. A lingering hamstring injury has limited the Pro Bowler to just five contests in 2022, putting a significant dent in the team’s potential in the passing game. It also marked an unwanted beginning to his time after signing a three-year, $51MM extension in September.

Negotiations over a new deal dominated the summer, one in which the Raiders finalized a number of big-money contracts. Waller established himself as a preeminent tight end during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns, eclipsing 1,100 yards each year. Injuries limited him to 11 contests in 2021, however, and this season has obviously not gone according to plan. A return to the field, if not to his dominant form, could do wonders for the 30-year-old individually, and the Raiders’ offense as a whole.

Given the fact that Renfrow was placed on IR on the same day as Waller, it comes as little surprise that the pair are returning to practice simultaneously. The slot receiver was shut down while dealing with a myriad of injuries, and has suited up for six total games over the course of the season. His summer also included contract talks, and ended in a $32MM deal which came off the back of his Pro Bowl campaign in 2021. That, coupled with the addition of Davante Adams, led to significant expectations for the Raiders’ pass-catchers.

The team ranks just 12th in the league with an average of 246 passing yards per game, however, a sign of the inconsistency which has helped lead to a disappointing 5-8 record. Part of their middling performance can be attributed, of course, to the absence of Waller and Renfrow. Their return in the near future will help Vegas in their attempt to generate momentum at the end of the season, and leave the team with two IR activations available to be used.

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