Big Blue Huddle

Dan Duggan
@DDuggan21
Was tied up yesterday, so here are a few additional thoughts on Darren Waller's retirement:

• Most of the focus has understandably been on the cap impact for the Giants, but Waller left serious money on the table. Had he been on the roster in Week 1, he would have guaranteed his $10.5M salary for the season. He would have earned another $200K by participating in the offseason program and would have earned an additional $75K for every game he was active. Walking away from $12M can't be a decision made lightly.

• Waller referenced in his retirement video that he thinks he owes the Giants $750K in bonus money. That's from his restructure last year. Instead of a straight restructure to convert $9.8M of his base salary into a bonus for cap purposes, $8.8 was converted into a bonus for cap purposes (and got paid out weekly during the season) and he got $1M in a signing bonus last April.

The Giants could try to recoup the $750K proration remaining from that signing bonus, but I would be surprised if they went that route, especially with them releasing a statement about their respect for him as a person.

• Waller's retirement will open a roster spot. Imagine the Giants will have a few vets participate in this week's minicamp as tryouts as they've done in the past.

• Waller had 52 catches for 552 yards in 12 games during a disappointing 2023 season. Aside from Daniel Bellinger, the four other tight ends on the roster with NFL experience have combined for 68 catches for 665 yards in 207 games.
11:26 AM · Jun 10, 2024
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https://x.com/DDuggan21/status/1800187841961427093

Quote from: coggs on June 10, 2024, 10:14:59 AMEveryone loved the Waller move at the time.  Anyone complaining about it now is full of xxxx.

I get what you are saying.  Although I I think everyone appreciated it was a gamble.   When the gamble busts, it's natural for people to look to the person who placed the bet, even if they were okay with it.

Kafka was made assistant head coach.  So it makes sense he would assume other game day duties

Quote from: coggs on June 10, 2024, 08:32:28 AMAbout effin time.  Too late to actually put the money to good use.  Maybe take someone's signing bonus and convert to a roster bonus or use it to cut someone and take the hit now.

At the time, I liked the trade.  Almost everyone did.  He looked great in training camp the days I went last year.  But, that was because he was going against the Giants D, so looking great there was not very difficult.

The Giants could have pushed Waller if they needed the money.   With this added money, the team shouldn't have to borrow money from next season as they sign injury replacements liike in years past.   If there is any money left over after the season they can carry it over.

Quote from: T200 on June 10, 2024, 08:38:07 AMCorrect me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the draft pick from KC for Kadarius Toney used for Darren Waller?

I'd consider them a wash, if that's the case.

As much as I wanted to keep Barkley, I do agree with you that it was best to trade him for something of value.

Tim,


You are correct.  The pick 100 was part of the trade.  I don't tie the two together, though.  Once the Toney trade was made, the team had the picks.   Now you have to consider how the two picks were spent.  Admittedly, pick 100 isn't that high, but you think you should get more than a one year rental on an oft injured veteran.

Quote from: LennG on June 09, 2024, 08:36:12 PMI'm not sure if this has been mentioned or even if it means anything, but it has been reported that Daboll has been calling all the plays for the OTAs. When minicamp starts this week, will it be the same way?

Would you prefer Daboll calling the plays instead of Kafka?  I wouldn't mind the change as I was never a big fan of Kafka's style and play calling.

Daboll will not commit, but all signs (Daboll has been calling the plays in OTAs) point to Daboll calling the plays this  year.

I appreciate that Waller has lost his passion for the game.   That said, I can't help but feel like Waller is making a long-term mistake.  Waller is not a man of many talents (at least not talents that will pay him millions).   Had Waller gutted it out for another year or two, he would have been another $10 to $20 million richer (minus taxes).  To date, Waller has made about $42 million (minus taxes).  If Waller had been careful with his money, that would have been enough to set him up for life.  If Waller wasn't careful, he could find himself broke at some point down the road.

I wish Waller all the best and hope everything works out for him.

Schoen's best moves

1) Bobby Okereke
2) Drafting Daniel Bellinger
3) Drafting Micah McFadden


Worst moves

1) Offensive line (includes drafting Evan Neal
2) Waller trade
3) Not trading Barkley and McKinney last season
Bonus- 4) Letting Julian Love walk

Quote from: Jclayton92 on June 09, 2024, 09:37:57 PMDo we get a comp pick for retiring players? That's the real question currently lol.

No, there are no comp picks.  What will likely happen is Waller will be placed on the retired list.  This would mean the Giants still control his rights should Waller decide to unretire.

I watched the video (almost 18 minutes long) I ran it at 1.75 speed).  He apparently spiked a high fever after his hamstring injury in the Jets game.   My best guess is he had an infection from a platelet-rich plasma treatment (for the injury)

He had to call 911 and spent three days in the hospital helpless.

https://x.com/charlottecrrll/status/1799920100054806810?s=46&t=1vcQIN8GqF5J2oLdxEVEJQ


The #Giants' statement on Darren Waller retiring: "We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best."

It was an open secret that Waller was retiring but it just wasn't official yet.

Joe Schoen traded a 3rd round pick for Waller prior to last season, and the Giants restructured his contract, too, kicking some money down the road, as the Giants went for it and flopped.

Quietly, there were actually some questions closer to the end of Waller's time in Vegas about how much longer he would play, prior to the trade, I found out this spring. Now it wraps.

Special talent who was good to the media last season here in NY.

https://x.com/pleonardnydn/status/1799915792940601564?s=46&t=1vcQIN8GqF5J2oLdxEVEJQ

https://x.com/bigbluevcr/status/1799909335147155765?s=46&t=1vcQIN8GqF5J2oLdxEVEJQ

Quote from: FL GMAN on June 09, 2024, 10:27:33 AMI agree it's a colossal mistake. She is the biggest draw. Forget whether she's one of the 15 best. Treat it like Christian Laetner on the dream team. As far as her treatment so far, she hasn't complained at all. I will say however that the play that started all this talk was a cheap shot and if that had been done to almost any other player it would have resulted in a fight. Can you imagine someone doing that to a young Jordan, Bird or Magic. IMHO her teammates let her down. I think she'll be like Steph Curry and it will take a little time, But man she can shoot.

This is what it comes down to.  Do you select players who will raise the profile of woman's basketball or do you create the best possible team?

Still, I think Clark is young and no doubt will be a mainstay of future Olympic teams

I seriously doubt race or sexual preference played a part in her not making the team


Some might consider this being a factor in her being left off:

QuoteIn March, Clark was one of 14 players to receive an invitation to the U.S. national team's final training camp ahead of the Summer Games. She was unable to attend as she was playing with Iowa in the Final Four, while multiple players who had put in years of service to the U.S. national program ahead of her attended. The U.S. women has held periodic training camps for national team hopefuls for years. While not mandatory, they go a long way in helping the selection committee decide which 12 will represent the most dominant basketball program — men's or women's.

Then there is this:

QuoteIt's also hard to imagine her slow start to the WNBA season didn't impact the decision. Though Clark has experienced some highs — on Friday night, for instance, she became the first player in WNBA history with 200 points and 75 assists through her first 12 games — she also leads the WNBA with 67 turnovers — 29 more than any other player. Her 32.7 percent 3-point shooting clip is also lower than many expected. Still, in leaving Clark off the roster, the Olympic committee appears to be accepting lower television ratings than if Clark was on the team.

Here are the selection committee's preferences:

Quote[The roster indicates a preference for veterans with the selection of A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper, those sources said. The U.S. women have won gold at every Olympics since 1996, and this distinguished roster of All-Stars appears positioned to be a favorite in Paris.

Seven of the 12 players have Olympic five-on-five experience and two more have 3×3 experience, so there will be only three first-time Olympians — Thomas, Copper and Ionescu. Selected players began receiving their Team USA Olympics jerseys recently.

Finally, it's not like the team is all black.



I have no idea the sexual preferences of the 12 women, but I have doubts they are all gay.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5550057/2024/06/08/caitlin-clark-paris-olympics-roster-womens-basketball/