Despite giving tight end Darren Waller a three-year contract extension less than a year ago, the Las Vegas Raiders decided to trade him away to the New York Giants for just a third-round pick. Waller is coming off a couple of injury-plagued years but should still be one of the most dynamic offensive players in the NFL when healthy.
Prior to the 2022 season, he had a reputation for being a hard worker. That reputation took a hit under head coach Josh McDaniels. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported in November that the Raiders were frustrated with Waller while he was recovering from his hamstring injury. He was eventually able to return and played well down the stretch but the team clearly didn’t see him as an integral part of their future.
Former Raiders general manager Mike Mayock knows Waller intimately from their time together in Las Vegas and Oakland. He had a chance to address the trade and had nothing but praise for the tight end.
“I think he’s an amazing person,” Mayock said on the March 17 episode of “Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard.” “I think his work ethic is off the charts. Football matters to him. I think being a good person matters even more to him.”
Was Trading Waller a Smart Move?
Trading Waller opened up $11.38 million in salary cap space for the Raiders. The team has yet to make any big splashes in free agency so it’s unclear why they felt the need to open up so much cap space. It’d be one thing if the Raiders got a first or second-round pick for Waller but all they got was a low third-round pick.
Whether or not he was a personality fit with McDaniels shouldn’t matter as long as he can make plays. Only getting a third-round pick for a player who can be top-three at his position when healthy seems like a big loss. The Raiders are clearly rebuilding but there wasn’t any need to trade Waller right now. It’s difficult to understand the team’s plan and if it fails, general manager Dave Ziegler could be looking for work this time next year.
Raiders Lost Waller Trade, Says Insider
The Raiders clearly just wanted Waller’s contract off the books. However, the team had an offer of a second-round pick from the Green Bay Packers last year, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, but turned them down. By waiting, the Raiders lost out on getting a solid draft pick for the tight end. While the team will undoubtedly attempt to spin this situation to make it look like they made the right move, Mike Sando of The Athletic believes the Raiders clearly lost the trade with the Giants:
I’d take Waller over a third-round pick any day. Waller’s situation in Las Vegas was so confounding. The Raiders paid Waller before he had ever suited up for the incoming head coach, which seemed surprising. Waller wasn’t available for much of the season, including during a key game against Kansas City when Waller was active but sat out the game. The whole situation just seemed odd. Waller gets a fresh start under Giants coach Brian Daboll, who seems more adaptable than McDaniels when it comes to featuring the available talent.
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Ex-Raiders GM Mike Mayock Delivers Strong Statement on Darren Waller