During the 2023 offseason, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen did his best to upgrade the team’s weapons on offense. The move that grabbed the most headlines was acquiring tight end Darren Waller from the Las Vegas Raiders.
Waller was expected to be a huge upgrade for New York, providing Daniel Jones with a difference-maker in the passing game. Before injuries derailed his 2021 and 2020 campaigns, Waller was one of the most dynamic pass-catching tight ends in the NFL.
There was certainly some risk in acquiring him, given the injury history, but Schoen and company saw it as a worthwhile one. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out as well as everyone had hoped they would.
NFL News & Rumors: Darren Waller & New York Giants Updates
The Giants’ passing offense was a mess with Jones under center. Hesitant to pull the trigger on throws downfield and an offensive line that couldn’t pass block was a recipe for disaster. When Tyrod Taylor stepped into the lineup in place of an injured Jones, Waller started showing some signs of life.
Against the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders in Weeks 5-7, Waller had his best stretch of the 2023 season. He caught 20 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown with Taylor leading the offense.
Unfortunately for the Giants, that is when injuries set in for Waller and Taylor. In Week 8 against the New York Jets, both players went down with multi-week injuries. Waller wasn’t back in the lineup until Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints.
His impact overall was not as great as the Giants or he had hoped for coming into the season. Despite the disappointment, Waller revealed a bold prediction about his future with the team following their Week 18 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He doesn’t believe he is going anywhere and is preparing to be in New York in 2024.
NFL News & Rumors: Darren Waller & New York Giants Updates
In his first season with the Giants, Waller caught 52 passes for 552 yards and one touchdown. Despite appearing in only 12 games, a few of which he was hurt during, he was second on the team in both categories.
If the Giants’ can figure out a way to keep Waller healthy for the entire season, he has shown he can still be a difference-maker in the passing game. But, they need to have a quarterback willing to take some chances to target him as he had virtually zero chemistry with Jones in their time on the field together.
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