TE Darren Waller: The Good, the Great, and the Ugly

The New York Giants traded a third-round pick (No. 100 overall) to Las Vegas to acquire tight end Darren Waller this week, a move that, at least on paper, should provide a shot in the arm for a Giants offense that at times last year was stagnated.

Waller is a dynamic pass-catching tight end with the potential to continue to unlock the upside of the receivers around him. Obviously, for Waller, who will turn 31 early in the season, can he stay healthy after two injury-filled seasons and be the player he once was for three straight seasons with the Raiders?

Besides that, what exactly are the Giants getting? Waller is not a blocking option--that is not where his talents are. Instead, think of him as a “Flex End,” which is more of an extremely large slot receiver.

Understanding what he is will help determine how he might be deployed in this Giants offense. With that noted, let’s look at the good, the great, and the ugly of Big Blue’s newest pass-catching tight end.

The Good: Catching in Traffic

There are different types of pass receivers in traffic, but their concentration makes them all good when there are bodies around. Waller knows how to focus on the ball even when bodies fly around him.

@CountryGiants Waller knows how to work in the intermediate areas. His body control and catch radius make him a walking first down. #Giants pic.twitter.com/VMnGDM6ubI
— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) March 16, 2023

His catch radius allows him to reach out and snag the ball away from defenders. He can get low to haul in passes away from defenders using those long arms and his ability to bend. He can also jump up to snag passes thrown too high for defenders to reach.

These qualities make him difficult to guard, especially on short and intermediate routes. His speed forces defenders to vacate open areas and defend the deep shot, enabling him to break off the route and get open passes.

The Great: Matchup Issues

When defensive coordinators are game-planning to defend Waller, they have the unenviable task of deciding who gets to cover him. Every defensive position comes with some issue against this big, athletic tight end, which poses a matchup nightmare.

If you put a corner on him, they are usually too short and not physical enough to keep him from imposing his will. Safeties might be more physical but may not have the quickness to stay with him in and out of breaks.

@CountryGiants Waller is a matchup nightmare anywhere on the field! pic.twitter.com/huQiD72oam
— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) March 16, 2023

Linebackers are more physical but usually lack the speed necessary to keep him from pulling away over the top. When all else fails, there’s the size! At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, only defensive ends are likely to stand eye-to-eye with him.

That size gives him the cheat code, especially in the red zone, where he combines his height, arm length, and jumping ability.

The Ugly: Availability

Waller has only played a full season’s worth of games once in his career. The 2019 and 2020 seasons saw the most games he has played in one stretch (31 of 32 games). And over the last two seasons, he has only played in 20 of the team's possible 34 games.

This could be one reason the Raiders have been looking to move on from him since last year. Abilities aside, the best ability is availability, and it is worth noting that if things don’t work out for him in New York, it will likely be because he spent more time in the training room than on the field.

It is something Giants fans will monitor, especially after receiver Kenny Golladay failed to make an impact after returning from a lost season before signing his disastrous 4-year, $71 million free-agent contract with the Giants.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the risk of trading for Waller is much lower than the reward the team can reap if he stays on the field. His effectiveness in two tight end sets and the multitude of ways that he can be lined up will be difficult for opponents to game plan against, and if he can stay healthy, he could rebound into the form that made him a household name for the Raiders.

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