According to PFF the Giants don't have a top 10 TE

[bamagiantfan]

"If Waller can stay healthy, he's one of the best tight ends in the NFL."

THAT!

I'll take on all the nay-sayers on and off this board. I think Waller will return to being a top 4 TE in the  league this year. His problems had more to do with being misused in Josh McDaniel's Offense. Foster Moreau's numbers also fell off  from the previous years, when he subbed in for Waller in 2021 and 2022. Add that the TE target share was gobbled up by Devante Adams last year and you have the perfect scenerio for the "he's oft-injured and getting old" mantra.

After flourishing as a #1 target under Gruden and making the most out of short, high percentage routes, he was used further down the field under McDaniels as the number 3-4 target. His yards per catch went up slightly but his completion/target went way down. And suddenly Derek Carr stinks too? I am expecting both to have great years in 2023 while McDaniels and the Raiders continue to struggle.

[AZGiantFan]

"If Waller can stay healthy, he's one of the best tight ends in the NFL."

THAT!

I'll take on all the nay-sayers on and off this board. I think Waller will return to being a top 4 TE in the  league this year. His problems had more to do with being misused in Josh McDaniel's Offense. Foster Moreau's numbers also fell off  from the previous years, when he subbed in for Waller in 2021 and 2022. Add that the TE target share was gobbled up by Devante Adams last year and you have the perfect scenerio for the "he's oft-injured and getting old" mantra.

After flourishing as a #1 target under Gruden and making the most out of short, high percentage routes, he was used further down the field under McDaniels as the number 3-4 target. His yards per catch went up slightly but his completion/target went way down. And suddenly Derek Carr stinks too? I am expecting both to have great years in 2023 while McDaniels and the Raiders continue to struggle.

While I am no fan of Josh McDaniel, I don't get the connection between his coaching and Waller missing 8 games in 2022.  Particularly when Waller missed 31 games over the preceding 6 seasons when other people were doing the coaching during those 6 years.

I think a healthy Waller would be a great addition to the offence but I find it hard to put too much reliance on the hope that he WILL be able to stay healthy given his track record.

[BluesCruz]

Maybe not a top 10 but we have 2 darn good ones and Cagr is no slouch

What if you have a top 10 and he goes down......we have depth

[bamagiantfan]

While I am no fan of Josh McDaniel, I don't get the connection between his coaching and Waller missing 8 games in 2022.  Particularly when Waller missed 31 games over the preceding 6 seasons when other people were doing the coaching during those 6 years.

I think a healthy Waller would be a great addition to the offense but I find it hard to put too much reliance on the hope that he WILL be able to stay healthy given his track record.

If you extrapolate his targets, receptions, and yards from last year over 9 games to 17 games, they would all be down from his best years. We can agree to disagree on the reasons why that is but his role in the Offense had changed. This isn't a guy who had ankle, knee, shoulder or other injuries that required surgery. He had soft tissue injuries in 2021 and 2022. His playing time from 2016-2018 was not related to injury, and that is a story everyone should be aware of. I think the Giants got a stud who will be available most of the season.

[kingm56]

If you extrapolate his targets, receptions, and yards from last year over 9 games to 17 games, they would all be down from his best years. We can agree to disagree on the reasons why that is but his role in the Offense had changed. This isn't a guy who had ankle, knee, shoulder or other injuries that required surgery. He had soft tissue injuries in 2021 and 2022. His playing time from 2016-2018 was not related to injury, and that is a story everyone should be aware of. I think the Giants got a stud who will be available most of the season.

How much do you factor age into your calculus?  Few TEs appear to retain their mid-20s production post 31 years old.  Does that give you any pause? Im hoping for the production Ed highlighted (600 - 800 yards/5 TDs). Btw, very informative post.

[Jclayton92]

I think trading for Waller would have been a mistake if we didn't change the turf. The old turf was like a voodoo curse on our team, hopefully the new stuff helps us.

[bamagiantfan]

How much do you factor age into your calculus?  Few TEs appear to retain their mid-20s production post 31 years old.  Does that give you any pause? Im hoping for the production Ed highlighted (600 - 800 yards/5 TDs). Btw, very informative post.

I think he has several good years yet, but it is always hard to say when Father Time will come calling. I see him more as a receiver first, freakish, athletic TE like Shannon Sharpe or Jimmy Graham than the guys like Kelce and Gronkowski who were taking a beating week in and week out. Those receiving first TEs usually have longer careers. Waller's career path shouldn't have taken the physical toll on him that results in a shortened career for most very good TEs. Those first 3 years in Baltimore were pretty much a wash. He didn't see the field much as a rookie and then the suspensions came in 2016 and 2017. Once with the Raiders, he started transitioning from WR to TE In some ways he is only in his 5th or 6th year in the league at TE. 

Now that is certainly a glass-half-full look at his career and future prospects, but he is a special physical talent who is an immediate mismatch regardless of who is covering him. Daniel Jones has already commented on that, and Kafka  said immediately after the trade that the offense will change with Waller at TE. I was thrilled when they traded for him and I imagine there were many in the NFL that were shocked he was even available.