Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller has played well since returning to the field full time in Week 4, performing like a top-tier player at his position. The Giants had similar hopes for him in 2023, but Waller noted that his offensive impact was affected by how he was used.
Waller was a guest on “The Schultz Report” with NFL insider Jordan Schultz and was asked about a day he was asked to block inside in a similar technique as a fullback. Waller said he had no problem going inside and being a blocker occasionally because it was needed to help the offense, but he felt that was a microcosm of how the Giants did not use him properly in their offense.
“There was other things I was going through in my life as well that were making me feel like I needed to step away, which I felt was a wise decision,” Waller told Schultz. “The frustration may not have been directly with that because I will do some dirty (expletive). You have to if you’re a good teammate, but I don’t really feel like I was being put in positions for what made me unique to shine. That’s what the frustration was probably coming from.”
Waller elaborated on how he felt he was being misused.
“I was filling through the B-gap (area between the guard and the tackle), hitting linebackers and running stick routes,” Waller said. “It’s not getting the best out of me doing that.”
The Giants sent a third-round pick in 2023 to the Las Vegas Raiders to acquire Waller. In the 12 games he played in the 2023 season, he caught 52 passes for 552 yards and a touchdown. Waller elected to retire and sat out the entire 2024 season before deciding to make a comeback. In August, the Giants traded Waller and a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick to the Dolphins for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Since Waller made his Dolphins debut against the Jets in Week 4, he has 10 receptions for 117 yards and four touchdowns. Waller’s size (6 feet 6 inches, 238 pounds) has always made him a red zone target, and Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has looked in his direction many times whenever the Dolphins offense has gotten inside the 20-yard line. Waller could continue to see an uptick in production, especially since wide receiver Tyreek Hill is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
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