After five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, Darren Waller shockingly saw his tenure come to an end by being trading to the New York Giants. While on the surface the Raiders may seem foolish giving up a former Pro Bowler in Waller, Las Vegas had their reasons for the trade.
For Waller, the Raiders only received a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, as Las Vegas looked at Waller's contract and his fit with the team, the Raiders didn't necessarily like what they saw, via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
“He turns 31 in September. Injuries have cost him 14 games over the last two years. He's coming of a 28-catch, 388-yard, three-touchdown season. And he was inherited by Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler,” Breer wrote. “He's also not cheap – he's due $12.745 million this year, $12 million next year, $13 million in 2025 and $15 million in 2026.”
Alongside the contractual on-field issues, the Raiders remain interested in free agent Foster Moreau, Breer noted. Las Vegas is privy to the deep tight end class in the 2023 class, making Waller expendable in their eyes.
Waller and his new wife Kelsey Plum also got into a bit of beef with the team. Plum sounded off on McDaniels for trading her husband shortly after the wedding. Waller was upset that McDaniels leaked that the pair was getting married. That beef sure caught Vegas' eye.
While Plum and Waller are now together, the tight end has split from the Raiders. For all his flaws, Darren Waller still shined during his time with Las Vegas. He caught 286 passes for 3,469 yards and 17 touchdowns.
However, the Raiders felt it was time for a trade. Waller will look to prove Las Vegas wrong with the Giants.
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