Dolphins to Gamble on Former Pro Bowler to Fix TE Room
The Dolphins’ hole at tight end lasted just a single day. On Tuesday afternoon, Miami acquired the rights to Darren Waller, sending a seventh-round pick in return, as Waller officially announced he was unretiring from the game of football. Following the trade, the Dolphins signed Waller to a one-year, five-million-dollar contract, setting him up as the team’s starting tight end. This is a fascinating and rather unexpected splash from Miami.
Why? Waller announced his retirement from football prior to the 2024 season. In his exact words, he said, “It’s an opportunity to take back the power in my life and start to make choices for myself.” This is a true wildcard move. Waller hasn’t touched a football field in over a year, but prior to his stint with the Giants, he was widely considered one of the best at his position.
Waller’s football story is one of the most inspiring in the league. At just 15 years old, he began struggling with substance abuse, an issue that followed him through Georgia Tech and into his early NFL career with the Ravens, where he served multiple suspensions for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. After being suspended for the entire 2017 season, Waller checked himself into a 30-day rehab program backed by the NFL to begin his journey of recovery. During that process, he worked at a local farmers’ market, making $11 an hour while continuing to train in case football ever called again. It did, when the Raiders signed him after Jon Gruden noticed his undeniable talent. From that moment forward, his career took off.
While in Vegas, Waller became one of the league’s most productive tight ends. He made the Pro Bowl in 2020, recording 107 catches for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns. His breakout years earned him a three-year, $51 million deal with the New York Giants. In his lone season in New York, Waller played 12 games, hauling in 52 receptions for 552 yards and a touchdown before retiring earlier this year.
Now, after moving on from Jonnu Smith in the Jalen Ramsey blockbuster, the Dolphins may have landed a valuable replacement at tight end. Smith instantly signed a one-year, $12 million extension with the Steelers following the trade, making him the 10th-highest-paid tight end in the NFL, a jump from 26th during his time in Miami. That’s money the Dolphins aren’t looking to spend right now, especially after recent years of giving veterans sizable deals. Waller, at 32, still fits the mold of a seasoned vet, but comes at a far lower cost.
He now joins an explosive Dolphins offense packed with dynamic playmakers who could elevate his performance if he stays healthy. Waller is in arguably the best situation of his career, catching passes from Tua Tagovailoa, one of the league’s most accurate quarterbacks. A former wide receiver, Waller is known for his size, athleticism, and elite pass-catching ability. He’s a big-bodied threat who creates mismatches against linebackers and slower defensive backs.
The addition of Waller puts Miami in a strong position. They’re taking a calculated gamble on a former top-tier tight end while preserving cap space to address their depleted secondary. The current tight end room, consisting of Pharaoh Brown, Tanner Conner, and Julian Hill, isn’t exactly stacked, which leaves the door open for Miami to still add a young tight end as rumored. That could include a potential move for 23-year-old Raiders TE Michael Mayer.