We’ve got to start by saying we fully understand NY Giants tight end Darren Waller wanting to focus on his mental and physical health moving forward. Waller, a former Pro Bowler, can’t seem to stay healthy and his bum hamstrings have brought him down in more ways than one.
Earlier this offseason, Waller said everything has added up and he’s unsure if he’s going to play in 2024 or hang up his cleats for good. It’s a tough spot for him, we get it. However, Joe Schoen and the Giants are trying to stay patient with him, but the fact of the matter is they need to know soon whether or not he will play, or if they’ll have an extra $7 million in cap space to work with. At the Annual League Meeting, Schoen said it’s unknown when Waller will make his final call.
Joe Schoen said that Darren Waller is still “undecided” on whether he wants to play or not #Giants
Schoen and Giants will give him his time.
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) March 25, 2024
Joe Schoen is unsure when Darren Waller will decide on his future
When the Giants traded a third-round pick to the Raiders for Waller, it felt like a home-run move from Schoen. While the team still didn’t have a WR1 on the roster, Waller was expected to come in and be a top option for Daniel Jones.
The two barely got to spend much time together, as Jones only appeared in six games and suffered his torn ACL in Week 9. Waller was limited to 12 games, as hamstring issues once again plagued his campaign. In his debut season with Big Blue, he was held to 52 receptions for 552 yards and one TD.
That’s not what anyone envisioned for Waller and his rough ’23 now has him thinking if he wants to keep playing or not. He recently told reporter Ryan Dunleavey that he’s not sure if he’s ready to go fully in on suiting up moving forward. That alone should be a red flag for the Giants.
Schoen is going to respect Waller as he goes through this process, but eventually, the GM is going to have to decide on whether or not he’s going to be able to count on him or not. The longer this decision drags out, the more problems it could cause for Schoen the rest of the offseason.
