Getty Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels.
The Las Vegas Raiders and Green Bay Packers already pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the offseason when they finalized the Davante Adams trade. However, the two sides might not be done working together yet. Back when the trade first happened, The Athletic reported that Green Bay was hoping to get a player in return for the wide receiver.
The most logical player they would’ve wanted was star tight end Darren Waller. Now, it’s being reported that was the player they wanted and they’re still trying to get him. According to Cheesehead TV, Green Bay is eyeing to trade for the Pro Bowler before the draft week is over:
According to a pair of league sources, however, the Packers are targeting a veteran tight end. Specifically, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller. The Packers and Raiders have engaged in talks regarding a trade of Waller with an eye toward a deal getting done during this week’s NFL draft.
Waller is also apparently the player the Packers were trying to pry away from the Raiders during the negotiations around the trade of Davante Adams, a move that was nixed when both sides were reminded that league rules prohibit players being part of compensation for a trade of a player on an unsigned franchise tag.
Packers targeting Raiders tight end Darren Waller t.co/6VtpgyU5Nf #Packers #GoPackGo
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What Would It Take to Get Waller?
It’s no secret that new Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels likes tight ends. The New England Patriots used a lot of two tight end sets when he was coaching there. When he took the Las Vegas job, he inherited one of the three best tight ends in the NFL in Waller and a solid No. 2 in Foster Moreau. If the Raiders trade Waller, it will simply be because the team doesn’t want to pay him.
However, he’s on a good contract right now. The Raiders should be looking for a decent-sized haul if they are to trade Waller. Nothing less than a first-round pick should be of interest to Las Vegas. The Packers could simply trade the Raiders back the first-round pick they sent for Adams.
Will Raiders Actually Trade Waller?
Things are about to get really interesting for the Raiders. General manager Dave Ziegler has gotten rave reviews from fans for landing Adams. Trading away a fan favorite like Waller might not be as well received.
On the surface, trading the tight end makes no sense right now. McDaniels will have plenty of uses for him and his salary is reasonable. He will be 30 when the season starts but he didn’t play in a ton of games throughout his first few years in the NFL. He should be a solid player for the next several years. If the Raiders trade him, they should wait until next offseason. He hasn’t pushed for a new contract yet and even showed up to voluntary offseason workouts. The Packers clearly want him but it’s difficult to understand why the Raiders would want to trade him now.
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