After months of conjecture that included rumors of a holdout, it appears that a new deal for Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller is inevitable. Reportedly, a new contract could be agreed upon by the conclusion of this week.
It’s been an eventful offseason for the Pro Bowl tight end, to say the least. After Derek Carr, Maxx Crosby, and Hunter Renfrow received new deals during the offseason, it was naturally assumed that Waller would be next in line. However, Waller’s dealings were not as quick. In fact, Waller even parted ways with his previous representation. He chose instead to work with Drew Rosenhaus, one of the most well-known agents in professional sports. As a side note, he’s the same agent that negotiated Antonio Brown’s deal upon arriving with the Raiders. Regardless, since that development, it seems there’s been much more ado about Waller’s impending deal.
Will the Las Vegas Raiders and Darren Waller get a deal done before Sunday’s game?
It’s been a long road, suffice to say. At one point, you had YouTubers and fans calling Waller a “selfish” player for not showing up to a preseason game. It was utter madness, especially after it was confirmed that the team was fine with his absence. Nevertheless, it’s all a distant memory now, according to multiple reporters. Among them, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore, who tweeted out that a new deal could be in place for Waller by the time that the Silver and Black take the field at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
Could happen by the time @Raiders take the field on Sunday. (but sooner rather than later regardless) https://t.co/mOKYTrHiB7
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) September 7, 2022Â
Even Jordan Schultz confirmed that the talks between the Raiders and Waller are intensifying. Schultz went as far as to say that team brass “wants to take care of Waller.” By taking care of him, he’s alluding to guaranteed money.
Darren Waller and the #Raiders‘ extension talks “are seriously heating up,” per a source.
The Pro Bowl TE hired Drew Rosenhaus to handle the negotiations. Make no mistake: Las Vegas wants to take care of him with guaranteed money and both sides are motivated to get it done soon.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 7, 2022Â
So far, Waller is doing his best to be a professional, focusing on the task at hand this Sunday. At the same time, knowing he’s been taken care of financially will soothe any concerns about his future. He’s one of the best, if not the best, tight ends in the game. Making sure he’s a Raider for the foreseeable future is definitely a smart business decision. General manager Dave Ziegler’s eventful first year continues to deliver in a big way for the Raiders, its owner Mark Davis, and, of course, Raider Nation.
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*Top Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
