Tag: Darren Waller

Report: Darren Waller considered retirement but will return to Giants

Darren Waller strongly considered retirement after just one season with the New York Giants but has decided to return in 2024.

Editor’s note: Shortly after the Post released its report, Waller reached out to the paper and informed them he remains undecided on his future.

After an underwhelming season that saw him miss five games due to injury, New York Giants tight end Darren Waller strongly considered retirement.

However, after some time to think on it, Waller has decided that he will return to the Giants in 2024, reports Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.

Darren Waller will return for a second season with the Giants.

Why is this news? Well, following the 2023 season, Waller expressed to individuals in the Giants organization that he was contemplating retirement, sources told the Post.

Although Waller is scheduled to earn a base salary of $10.5 million ($14 million cap hit), the Giants intend to stick with him. He will not be a cap casualty, the Post adds.

He is due to make $10.5 in base salary this season and count $14 million on the salary cap. He will not be a cap casualty, the Post learned.

The Giants want him back and hope he can stay healthy and be a more robust contributor to the offense than he was in 2023.

The Giants acquired Waller from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick. He appeared in 12 games, hauling in 52 receptions for 552 yards and one touchdown.

After an impressive spring, many expected Waller to turn back the clock and become the dominant offensive weapon he once was. He felt healthy and adjusted his training in order to improve his sustainability.

Neither one of those hopes played out but Waller intends to give it another shot in 2024.

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Giants’ Darren Waller: Taylor Swift doesn’t deserve a Super Bowl ring

New York Giants TE Darren Waller scoffed at the idea of Taylor Swift being gifted a Super Bowl ring, saying she did nothing to deserve it.

New York Giants tight end Darren Waller has a message for Taylor Swift: No ring for you!

At least not a Super Bowl ring, anyway.

TMZ Sports caught up with Waller earlier this week and pressed him on whether or not the autotune pop star deserves a little bling for all the attention she brought to the league. The veteran immediately scoffed at the idea.

“I mean, maybe get her a replica,” Waller said. “(The real ring) is for people in meetings, on the field — like, really in the trenches, you know?”

And that’s how it should be. Random fans, regardless of their fame, don’t put in any of the work and therefore aren’t entitled to any of the rewards. It would be like suggesting Travis Kelce deserves Swift’s Grammy Award simply for listening to her music.

Of course, it’s ultimately up to the Kansas City Chiefs if they want to supply Swift with a Super Bowl ring. They are allowed to order as many as 150 and then distribute them as they see fit.

If Swift were gifted a real Super Bowl ring from the Chiefs, it would also mean someone else within the organization who put in work all season would be left out.

In the end, Swift is likely to remain ringless.

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Giants’ Darren Waller announces upcoming release of hip-hop album

New York Giants TE Darren Waller is releasing a full hip-hop album in February and shared a short clip of his first single on Friday.

New York Giants tight end Darren Waller revealed on Friday that he’s finishing up his first full-on hip-hop album and the release date is set for Friday, February 16.

As part of the announcement, Waller shared a short clip from his upcoming single via Instagram.

“Just warming up! New single coming 2/16. Album on the way! Tap in with me,” Waller wrote.

Waller is not the first Giants player to record music and produce an album on the side. Before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver Kadarius Toney, who went by the stage name Yung Joka, had similar aspirations.

Waller, of course, hopes to find significantly more success than Yung Joka did.

“There’s a reason why I’m on here. I ain’t gonna cap, I had a long year,” Waller rhymes. “Let’s just turn the blessings. Boy, we strong here.”

Waller did have a long year.

After being acquired via trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, Waller appeared in just 12 games for the Giants, recording 52 receptions for 552 yards and one touchdown. He dealt with hamstring issues throughout the season.

Waller has three years remaining on his current deal.

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4 potential cap casualties for Giants in 2024

If New York Giants GM Joe Schoen is interesting in clearing cap space, there are four potential (albeit difficult to part with) options.

The New York Giants are expected to have approximately $37.8 million in available salary cap space this coming offseason (pending the cap ceiling).

They can squeeze a bit more if they re-work some contracts, but general manager Joe Schoen has done an excellent job of trimming the fat already.

Since Schoen became the Giants’ GM in January of 2021, he has been fiscally prudent and very creative with player contracts.

Schoen doesn’t have a lot of options this offseason when it comes to creating cap space, but we went up and down the roster and found four possibilities.

Giants’ 9 biggest disappointments of 2023

The New York Giants regressed significantly in 2023 and these nine players were among the most disappointing.

The 2023 season was a major downer for the New York Giants. There were a few surprises and glimmers of hope on the defensive side of the ball, but it wasn’t enough to extend the season.

The front office issues plagued the team and resulted in more upheaval with the “parting of ways” with Wink Martindale.

In the wake of the blinders being ripped off around the whole Wink/Brian Daboll fiasco, let’s take a look at nine players (in no particular order) who disappointed the most in 2023.

Giants’ Joe Schoen on Darren Waller trade: ‘I’d do it again’

New York Giants GM Joe Schoen has no regrets over the trade for TE Darren Waller, saying he’d do it again any day of the week.

When the New York Giants traded a third-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller, they felt they had a steal.

The caveat was that Waller had a history of nagging injuries that kept him off the field too often for many teams’ taste.

Unfortunately for the Giants, they learned that the hard way this season when Waller missed the better part of six games with a hamstring issue.

Still, general manager Joe Schoen said on Monday he had no regrets.

“He was still a productive part of our offense when available,” Schoen said. “I would do that again every day of the week.”

Waller finished third on the team in targets (74) and second in receptions (52) and receiving yards (552).

Both Schoen and Waller spoke as if the 6-foot-6 tight end would be returning in 2024.

“We’ll have those conversations with the staff but the expectation is that he’ll be back,” Schoen said.

Waller is under contract through the 2026 season but the Giants have a potential ‘out’ this offseason if they wish to exercise it. It appears they aren’t leaning in that direction, however.

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Giants snap the curse, dominate Eagles to close out 2023 season

The New York Giants wrapped up their 2023 season with a 27-10 thumping of the Philadelphia Eagles, finally ending an ugly string of losses.

The New York Giants hosted the defending NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon in their 2023 regular season finale.

MetLife was rife with Eagles fans and empty seats. Philly came into the game with a chance to win the NFC East. The Giants were simply there to play the role of spoiler.

Veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard, possibly playing his last game for the Giants, represented the team as one of the game-day captains at midfield before the game.

Here is how things played out…

Giants injury report: 7 players limited in practice

The New York Giants listed seven players as limited in practice on Thursday and 13 on the total report.

The New York Giants returned to the field on Thursday for their first full practice ahead of a Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Rams — one day removed from a walkthrough.

The injury report was lengthy to open the week and that trend continued 24 hours later.

While everyone practiced on at least a limited basis, several key players remained limited — seven in total with 13 players listed on the official injury report.

The Giants’ full Thursday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: N/A

Limited participant: CB Detone Banks (shoulder), TE Lawrence Cager (groin), NT Dexter Lawrence (hamstring), DT A’Shawn Robinson (back), DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (knee) P Jamie Gillan (groin/knee), OL Justin Pugh (elbow)

Full participant: RB Saquon Barkley (elbow), OL Ben Bredeson (quad), CB Adoree’ Jackson (ankle), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (quad), OL John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), TE Darren Waller (knee)

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Fantasy Football: Potential bargains, must-plays from Giants-Rams game

Here’s a look at some potential bargains for daily fantasy from the New York Giants-Los Angeles Rams Week 17 game on Sunday afternoon.

The red-hot Los Angeles Rams (8-7) travel east to the New Jersey Meadowlands on New Year’s Eve afternoon to face the New York Giants (5-10).

Both teams have picked up the effort in the second half of the season, and this game could be filled with fireworks.

That’s good news for fantasy owners and DFS speculators looking for a late-season payday.

Here are three options to consider.

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Giants injury report: Dexter Lawrence, 4 others miss practice

New York Giants coach Brian Daboll said everyone would participate on Wednesday but five players, including Sexy Dexy, ended up sitting out.

The New York Giants returned to the practice field on Wednesday ahead of a Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium.

Because the Giants played on Christmas Day and are on a short week, head coach Brian Daboll limited the team to a walkthrough. They will conduct full practices on both Thursday and Friday.

Coming out of Monday’s game, the Giants were relatively healthy despite a few players (Darren Waller, Justin Pugh) getting banged up. Daboll said everyone would participate on at least a limited basis.

“We’re doing a walkthrough today so everybody will be participating in the walkthrough,” Daboll said.

The lie detector test determined that was a lie.

Several players sat out on Wednesday and several more were limited, including punter Jamie Gillan, who suffered a groin injury two weeks ago and a knee injury in the Giants’ loss to Philadelphia.

“We’ll see tomorrow but trending in the right direction,” Daboll said of Gillan.

The Giants’ full (projected) Wednesday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: CB Detone Banks (shoulder), TE Lawrence Cager (groin), NT Dexter Lawrence (hamstring), DT A’Shawn Robinson (back), DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (knee)

Limited participant: RB Saquon Barkley (elbow), OL Ben Bredeson (quad), P Jamie Gillan (groin/knee), CB Adoree’ Jackson (ankle), OL Justin Pugh (elbow), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (quad), OL John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), TE Darren Waller (knee)

Full participant: N/A

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