Much has been made this offseason about the most significant addition to the Raiders’ pass-catching corps, and the effect he will have on the team’s WR room. Much of the offense’s success will still depend on the play of tight end Darren Waller, though, which makes his health status one of great importance. 

The Pro Bowler has been “held out of” Vegas’ training camp due to a hamstring injury, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). He adds that the issue is not considered serious, something which is encouraging, but nevertheless a potential source of concern in the build-up to the season.

Waller missed five games last year due to an IT band strain, the first time since 2018 that he spent any period on the sidelines. The injury limited him to 665 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns, but he was on pace for another highly productive season as the focal point of the Raiders’ passing attack. The month-plus absence was longer than originally expected, so the fact that Waller is again off the field for an extended period could prove problematic if the injury lingers into the regular season.

The 29-year-old was understandably listed as an extension candidate this offseason, given the disparity between his contract and level of play during his time with the Raiders. Set to earn $6.25MM in each of the next two seasons, Waller would be in line for a significant raise on a new deal – something which was reported as being imminent back in June.

The team, under new GM Dave Ziegler, acquired Davante Adams at a massive cost (both in terms of draft capital and the subsequent extension he signed). The Raiders also inked fellow receiver Hunter Renfrow to a new deal, ensuring QB Derek Carr will have the most talented array of skill-position players in his career. To help the team meet its heightened expectations (and improve his own financial future), though, Waller will need to return to full health in advance of the campaign – something which may still be in doubt at this point.

With training camps opening up, attention is naturally being drawn to players with potential motivation to stage a ‘hold-out,’ or more recently, a ‘hold-in.’ One such player is Raiders tight end Darren Waller, whose contract status has generated plenty of speculation this offseason. 

The 29-year-old has emerged as one of the league’s top players at his position, making him a logical candidate for an extension more in line with his recent production. The team wouldn’t necessarily be obligated to re-work his deal right away, though, as Waller has two years remaining on his current contract, with scheduled salaries of $6.25MM remaining.

That figure pales in comparison to the compensation many other, less accomplished TEs will be receiving in 2022. The position has seen a notable upward trend this offseason, especially as a result of the $54.75MM deal given to David Njoku of the Browns. That, coupled with the fact that there is no guaranteed money remaining on Waller’s deal, has led to some speculation that he could try to force the Raiders’ hand in contract talks in the build-up to camp.

Instead, the former sixth-rounder has indeed reported to camp, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). Part of the reason he was expected to do so, no doubt, is the extent to which contract talks have been ongoing for more than a month. A new deal was reported to be imminent in June, although Vegas’ preference could very well be to wait one more year to finalize an extension. To that point, Fowler adds that Waller and the team appear to be “all-in” on the 2022 campaign, one filled with high expectations on all fronts.

The Raiders currently rank third in the league in cap space, so a deal pushing some money upfront on a multi-year extension would be feasible for the team. How much progress is made in the coming weeks will likely dictate Waller’s short-term (and, potentially, long-term) financial future.

Recent developments have magnified the bargain the Raiders have in Darren Waller, who is attached to a contract he has outplayed. Tied to the 17th-highest average salary among tight ends, Waller is set to make $6.25MM in 2022.

David Njoku, whose production Waller has lapped despite having less time as a starting tight end, now has a $14.2MM-per-year contract. The Raiders gave Hunter Renfrow a $16MM-per-year extension Friday. Waller, 29, has not indicated he plans to make his $7.6MM-AAV deal an issue this year, having reported to minicamp this week. Given the circumstances, it would not surprise if the two-time 1,100-yard pass catcher did attempt to inject urgency into this situation before Week 1.

[RELATED: Assessing Waller’s Extension Path]

The Raiders view Waller as a key player, and Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal calls a second Waller-Raiders extension imminent. Waller said conversations have occurred this offseason, but Bonsignore adds the team still might be attempting to push true extension talks to 2023. Two seasons remain on the extension Waller signed in 2019. The tight end market is different now, with several players whose work does not compare to Waller’s ahead of him on the salary hierarchy. No guarantees remain on Waller’s deal.

On one hand, waiting until 2023 could benefit Waller. He is coming off an injury-limited season and is set to play for Josh McDaniels, whose play calls helped turn Rob Gronkowski into a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. The Raiders’ Waller-Renfrow-Davante Adams setup should open the door for more looks for the two holdovers. Of course, the other side of this is Waller risks suffering another injury that could diminish his value. The late-bloomer’s age (30 in September) also stands to be an issue, with extension talks ahead of an age-31 season slightly different than prioritizing a deal now.

Will the longtime centerpiece of the Raiders’ passing attack be content going into camp with Adams tied to a deal worth nearly four times his own and now Renfrow attached to a contract worth more than double his? With the Raiders having rewarded their top two wideouts, how they proceed with their standout tight end will be one of this summer’s more interesting storylines.

The Raiders have been without their top target since Thanksgiving. A leg injury and a positive COVID-19 test kept Darren Waller out of practice over the past five weeks, but the team received some positive news ahead of its likely do-or-die game in Week 18.

Waller was back at practice Wednesday. The Pro Bowl tight end worked out in a limited capacity, but this nevertheless represents progress. Despite Waller having not played since Week 12, the Raiders did not place him on IR. They opted to play it week-to-week, but this injury has taken some time to heal.

Expected to miss a slightly shorter period of time due to an IT band strain, Waller experienced upper-leg pain that slowed his return. The Raiders have gotten by with Foster Moreau at the tight end spot and have won their past three games to set up what will likely be a win-and-in game against the Chargers. Still, their offense certainly is not the same without Waller. Las Vegas has topped out at 23 points — against Indianapolis in Week 17 — in its five games with its two-time 1,000-yard target sidelined.

His extended absence notwithstanding, Waller remains second among Raiders with 53 catches for 643 yards this season. Hunter Renfrow has made a leap in his third year, topping 1,000 yards for the first time, but Henry Ruggs‘ departure is still affecting the Las Vegas offense. DeSean Jackson has eclipsed 50 yards in just one game since signing with the team in early November.