Getty Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers participates in pregame warmups prior to the preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on August 25, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers have had their eyes on a Pro-Bowl tight end since the offseason who is now making waves after firing his agent.
Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders said goodbye to the Klutch Sports agency on Thursday, August 25, and will now pursue new representation. Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal reported the development via Twitter.
Raiders TE Darren Waller has left Klutch Sports and is currently without an agent.
He’s in the NFLPA’s 5-day waiting period before he can sign with an agent.
“Raiders TE Darren Waller has left Klutch Sports and is currently without an agent,” Mullen wrote. “He’s in the NFLPA’s 5-day waiting period before he can sign with an agent.”
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Darren Waller’s Agency Move Signals Unrest in Las Vegas
GettyTight end Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium on November 15, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
While Waller’s decision to part ways with Klutch isn’t necessarily a way of voicing displeasure with the Raiders franchise, the two appear strongly linked.
It’s no secret that Waller wants a new contract, as he spoke openly about a potential holdout in July. He is currently playing on a four-year contract extension worth just shy of $30 million total, which he signed in 2019. His salary slots him as just the 17th highest-paid tight end in the league, despite a Pro Bowl season in 2020. To make matters worse for Waller, none of the money left on his deal is guaranteed.
The Raiders handed out a lot of dough during the offseason, including massive extensions for quarterback Derek Carr and pass rusher Maxx Crosby. They also inked former Packers wide receiver Davante Adams to a five-year deal worth $140 million, which was the highest annual average salary for any wideout in league history at the time it was signed.
Packers Wanted Waller Back in Adams Trade With Raiders
GettyQuarterback Aaron Rodgers (left) of the Green Bay Packers celebrates throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Davante Adams (right) in the second quarter during the NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lambeau Field on January 16, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
With all that money swirling around in the desert, it is not surprising that Waller, who will turn 30 years old next month, wants to get his before it’s too late. That these desires could breed animosity between Waller and the Raiders organization, then, is not a giant leap to take. His new agent’s mandate will likely be to secure Waller a new, lucrative contract — be that with the Raiders or elsewhere.
Waller addressed trade rumors leading up to the NFL Draft in April, saying he was content in Las Vegas. However, he didn’t sound like he’d be broken up were he dealt to a team like the Packers with a quarterback like four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers — especially if said franchise is willing to pay him.
“It’s a business. Whatever happens, happens,” Waller said on The Zach Gelb Show. “But I’m enjoying my time here in Vegas and loving the new staff and the new challenges that are in place, so I’m focused on what I can control.”
Green Bay wanted Waller back in the trade they made with the Raiders that sent Adams to Las Vegas. However, due to NFL rules, the tight end could not be included in the transaction. Instead, the Packers got the Raiders’ first-round and second-round selections in 2022.
The Packers used some of that capital to draft receiver Christian Watson early in the second round, then later drafted wideout Romeo Doubs in the fourth.