New York Giants tight end Darren Waller is still unsure about his status for next season as he's mulling whether to retire or play another year. Last month, Waller said he would decide "pretty soon," though did not give a set timeline for making the call.
As of early April, the veteran has yet to make his decision. Waller, who has played nine seasons in the NFL, says he still has a lot to think about this offseason.
"I haven't made a decision yet," the 31-year-old said, via Forbes.com. "It's just a matter of respecting the process. There's so much that goes into the process of going from April through February of an NFL season. The commitment that it requires. I'm a guy who's evolving, who's growing, who's played a lot of football and been through a lot."
Waller said he wants to be sure that he can give the game his all before he decides to return.
"I'm at the point now where I'm like, 'OK, how much am I willing to give to the process?'" he said. "If it's not 100%, it's a disservice to the teammates and the organization that I have. I'm still trying to make a decision on that and it's tough to make one or the other out of emotion."
In his first season with the Giants, Waller had 52 receptions for 552 yards and one touchdown in 12 games, missing five games in 2023 to a hamstring injury. He also missed time in 2022 due to injury, and was sidelined for eight games in his last year with the Las Vegas Raiders.
If Waller does play he has a base salary of $10.525 million, with $1.275 million in per-game roster bonuses.
In March, Waller noted that he knows the Giants are awaiting his decision. "I'm not trying to have it be this drawn-out thing."
If Waller does not return, the Giants will still have Daniel Bellinger at tight end along with Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz, whom they added in free agency this offseason.
