In some ways, Darren Waller is the Giants’ smaller-scale version of Aaron Rodgers.
Months of hype about how the prize offseason addition could transform the Giants’ passing attack by making big plays never came to fruition because of injuries — whether Waller’s own (five games missed because of an injured hamstring) or those that decimated the offensive line and quarterbacks, thus changing the offensive outlook.
And so it is only natural for the Giants and their 31-year-old tight end to want a do-over in 2024 to see if Waller can duplicate his summer-long practice-field dominance and carry it into the games like he did as a two-time 1,000-yard receiver (2019-20).
Sounds a little like the Jets and their quarterback.
“It’s just a matter of the staying-on-the-field part,” Waller said after Friday’s practice. “When I’m out there, when I’m running, when I’m moving, I still feel like I can separate from people like I could four years ago. Still run at the same speed, same ability. The consistency of continuing to be out there has clearly been the issue, so just trying to figure that part out.”
Waller was just finding a groove — 20 catches for 227 yards and his first touchdown in a three-game span — when he suffered his third hamstring injury of the last two seasons on Oct. 29 against the Jets.
He rehabbed to return by Dec. 17 and will play Sunday against the Rams, but an “Incomplete” probably is the suitable grade for his first season since the Raiders traded him to New York.
“If the same things keep bothering you, the same things keep showing up — whether that’s me or anybody on the team — you have to find a way to sit down and be like, ‘Why is this happening?’ and figure out a solution,” said Waller, who has 42 catches for 456 yards and a touchdown in 10 games. “I don’t know if it’s getting even more precise with diet. Whatever it may be, throwing things on the board, seeing what it is. I don’t have the answers right now.”
The Giants’ offseason needs include finding a new No. 1 target, but a healthy Waller could limit the size of the overhaul needed to the receiver corps.
“When on the field, I feel like I’ve taken advantage of opportunities,” Waller said. “Some missed opportunities — there always is — but I feel like I do more good than bad.”
Waller is signed for a $14.4 million salary-cap charge with only $6.6 million savings afforded in savings by moving on, according to spotrac.com, and he wants to become a Giants’ great in the next phase of his career.
“Seeing how the people that are higher up treat everyone, how the legends come back around and how proud they are to play here … I’m still blown away,” Waller said. “I’ve been around to know that business-wise people make decisions for certain reasons, so nothing is ever guaranteed, but I plan on being here and I love being here.”
A glimpse of what could’ve been came last game, when Waller held onto a jumping 20-yard catch as he got blasted from behind but still converted a fourth-and-8 on the second-to-last snap of the 33-25 loss to the Eagles.
He was slow to get up as seconds ticked away and the Giants lined up for a spike.
“I got a Muay Thai elbow to the back,” Waller said. “Like, if you all had anything hurt on your body and you tried to get off the couch, you have to get up a couple times? I was just trying to figure out how to stand up first. Then, if you get hurt, you just run off the field, so I was doing that and the coaches were like, ‘No, no, no!’ so I got lined up. I took a shot, and I was trying to get back to equilibrium.”
Tight ends coach Andy Bischoff “absolutely” thinks Waller has more frequent game-changing plays in him because he has the athleticism to age impactfully.
“When he’s out there, he gives us an opportunity to move the ball the way we want, to score points the way we want,” Bischoff said. “Other guys can assist in that, but when he’s there he makes a dramatic difference on how the defense approaches our offense. Now, is he going to play 75 plays a game? That’s on us to make sure he doesn’t do that.”
Waller, quarterback Daniel Jones, left tackle Andrew Thomas and running back Saquon Barkley played fewer than 60 snaps together this season.
“You have to have your core group on the field to be your best — it takes great players to win in this league,” Waller said. “I still believe in the potential of this [team].”