When healthy, Darren Waller isn't only a ton of fun to watch for the NY Giants, but he's a beast for this offense too. However, in recent years, the former Pro Bowler just can't keep himself close to 100 percent and he's missed way too many contests.
After missing most of the Jets loss, we now won't be seeing Waller for about a month. On Saturday, the news dropped that Waller, along with Tyrod Taylor, has been placed on the Injured Reserve. He'll miss the trip to Las Vegas, plus three more games. This is just terrible luck for No. 12 and no one wanted to see this happen for him this season.
So we won’t see Darren Waller or Tyrod Taylor until at least after the bye week. Giants return from the bye on Monday, Dec. 11 vs. Green Bay.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) November 4, 2023
Will miss games vs.
Raiders
Cowboys
Commanders
Patriots https://t.co/22o0YOjLIp pic.twitter.com/TVPPWBTZd9
Darren Waller and Tyrod Taylor placed on Injured Reserve stings
Just two weekends ago, Waller had a breakout game for the Giants, hauling in seven balls for 98 yards and a touchdown in a thrilling 14-7 win. However, he was shut down early on in the 13-10 overtime loss to the Jets and you could tell how dejected he was because of it.
Waller has been through a lot the last three seasons, as he indeed just can't keep himself on the field. This is something general manager Joe Schoen is going to keep in mind this offseason, as a tough decision will be on the way. Plenty of fans think NY should look elsewhere for a more reliable option.
If Waller returns to the Giants in 2024, he'll have a cap hit of just under $14.5 million. That's a lot of dough for a star tight end who has a long history of injury issues and hasn't lived up to the hype for Big Blue following the offseason trade. Should Schoen release him, it would result in a $7.8 million dead cap hit.
How Waller looks once he's able to return to action will be a key factor in whether or not he suits up for this team next campaign. With that said, this latest IR update is a major bummer and it's going to have a negative impact on this offense starting this Sunday vs. the Raiders.