New York Giants 'operating' as if Darren Waller retires from NFL

Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Last March, the New York Giants traded the 100th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for Darren Waller. At the time, the acquisition was touted as a big win for the Giants, who took the selection recovered from trading Kadarius Toney and flipped it for a Pro Bowl tight end, giving Daniel Jones a much-need pass-catching playmaker.

Unfortunately, Waller’s time with the Giants hasn’t gone as planned. The 31-year-old was limited to just 12 games and recorded 552 yards on 52 receptions to go with just one touchdown. It wasn’t a terrible performance, but averaging 46 yards per game was a far cry from his Pro Bowl form with the Raiders, averaging 73.2 YPG from 2019-20.

While Waller may have just been trying to adjust to a new quarterback while getting comfortable with Brian Daboll’s offensive system, now it’s looking like the 6-foot-6 tight end might not return for a second season with the G-Men.

Does Theo Johnson’s arrival signal Darren Waller’s departure?

NFL: Combine — Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Rumors of Waller weighing retirement have lingered all offseason long, and now according to multiple sources close to the situation, the Giants are acting as if Waller will retire before the 2024 season kicks off.

It likely didn’t help that the Giants selected Penn State tight end Theo Johnson with the 107th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, fueling further speculation of Waller’s retirement.

Have said this multiple times already: The #Giants are operating as if Darren Waller will retire.

They can't count on him being on the roster given the circumstances. Waller is still deciding on his future.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) April 27, 2024

Darren Waller, of course, has been pondering retirement for months but recently said he's still undecided.

The Giants are giving him space, but they have to be prepared to move on — especially given Waller's injury history and the fact he'll be 32 in September. https://t.co/Ao64B3pczP
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) April 27, 2024

As mentioned, Waller has not made any official announcement on whether he’s planning to retire, so the Giants could simply be planning for the future. Yet, if the front office still hasn’t heard any updates regarding his playing status for the 2024 season, the Giants didn’t have a choice but to make contingency plans.

Waller did recently provide NJ’s Joey Chandler with an update on his mindset on Friday, on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.

“I haven’t [set a deadline], but I know at the end of the day, you know, there’s going to be no considering in reevaluating past when people report to camp, but I feel like I am getting an inch closer to a decision.”
Darren Waller on thoughts of retirement

For now, Waller is the starting tight end on the Giants’ depth chart, but it’s possible Daniel Bellinger will be taking over as the starter in New York soon. Theo Johnson will compete for a backup role with Lawrence Cager and Tyree Jackson, along with free agency additions Chris Manhertz and Jack Stoll.