Darren Waller Poised For Big Extension?

With bringing in former All-Pro performers like wide receiver Davante Adams and pass rusher Chandler Jones, the Las Vegas Raiders have shown that they are not going to be afraid of big-game hunting for the players they want.

That should also apply to the incumbent players they want to keep, and, sooner rather than later, tight end Darren Waller is going to be due for a raise.

That's reflected in a recent article on NFL.com that looks at the top candidates at every position in the league who are poised to cash in for new deals.

Waller is the top candidate listed at tight end, not a shock considering the numbers that the former Pro Bowler has put up in the last few years.

Writer and researcher Anthony Holzman-Escareno illustrates it well in his analysis of Waller.

Holzman-Escareno points out the value the Raiders received when they locked up Waller to an extension early on in his breakout 2019 season.

Since that time, no tight end other than Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs has more receptions or receiving yards than Waller.

Waller and Kelce have joined Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez and former Raiders great Todd Christensen as the only tight ends to have 90-plus receptions and 1,100-plus receiving yards in multiple seasons.

Waller is coming off a season in which played in 11 only games because of injuries and saw a significant drop in his numbers as a result, but the ingredients to remedy that are there in 2022.

For one thing, with Adams now in the fold along with slot receiver Hunter Renfrow, Waller probably won't be seeing nearly as many double-teams as he did in the past.

Considering the production he put up as the Raiders' top target, one can only imagine what Waller could be capable of in a more wide-open offense.

That optimism should be fueled even more by the presence of Coach Josh McDaniels, who has experience getting the best out of Hall of Fame-caliber tight ends such as Rob Gronkowski.

With all that in mind, the projected annual value of Waller's next contract of $15-million plus a year might just be the starting point in negotiations.

Please make sure you tell us your thoughts when you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Want to talk about this? Want to air your opinion about all things Las Vegas Raiders? Maybe you like to talk about other sports that aren't Silver and Black related? We got your back. Join our 100% FREE message board, a brand new option, when you CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Want the latest breaking Las Vegas Raiders news delivered straight to you? CLICK THE FOLLOW button at the top of the page. Don't miss any of the latest up to the second updates for your Las Vegas Raiders when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter @BaydounDarin