Darren Waller continues to consider retirement ahead of the 2024 season. The New York Giants would at least receive some salary cap relief if the Pro Bowl tight end walks away.
According to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, the Giants would save $11.6 million against the cap this season if Waller retires. He’d leave $2.5 million in dead money this year and $4.9 million in 2025.
Duggan wrote that the Giants and Waller had a “handshake agreement” not to announce any decision before June 1. The Giants wouldn’t have received that cap relief if Waller filed for retirement sooner.
Acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders last offseason, Waller didn’t make the intended impact in Big Blue’s offense. The former back-to-back 1,000-yard receiver caught 52 of 72 targets for 552 yards and a touchdown in 2023.
Waller hasn’t committed to re-joining the Giants this season. In April, the 31-year-old told The Athletic’s Vic Tafur that he’d “for sure” decide before NFL teams break in June ahead of training camp.
“I have to make a decision at some point,” Waller said. “You have to be 100 percent bought in, for the grind. And I have to make sure I am bringing that to the table, or it’s a disservice to the guys I am suiting up with. I also want to give the team time, where whichever way I go, they can prepare for next season. So … it’s a little bit of a difficult decision, but here we are.”
Waller hasn’t reported to OTA, and he instead made headlines for releasing a music video about his divorce from WNBA star Kelsey Plum. The Record‘s Art Stapleton wrote Saturday that he expects Waller to retire.