Darren Waller

Career StatsC+

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
Career		95	374	4,407	26
2025		9	24	283	6
2023		12	52	552	1
2022		9

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Dolphins absolutely robbed the market with this Darren Waller signing, landing an A+ CVI deal that represents one of the best value acquisitions of the offseason. Getting a solid starter tight end for just $2.0M AAV is highway robbery in today's inflated market, where middling pass-catchers routinely command double-digit deals and even replacement-level tight ends fetch $4-6M annually. While Waller may not be the elite weapon he was during his peak Raiders years, he's still capable of 600+ yards and provides veteran leadership at a position where Miami desperately needed reliability. The one-year structure eliminates long-term risk while giving the Dolphins maximum flexibility to either extend him if he performs or move on without dead money — essentially a no-lose proposition. This signing exemplifies smart roster building, addressing a clear need with minimal financial commitment while betting on a proven veteran who still has quality football left in the tank.

Performance Analysis

Darren Waller is an eight-year veteran tight end now suiting up for the Miami Dolphins, a former undrafted reclamation project who carved out one of the more compelling career arcs at his position in recent NFL history — transforming from a depth piece into a legitimate receiving weapon capable of altering defensive game plans. At 33, Waller earns a C+ grade for this stage of his career, a reflection not of failure but of the natural friction between elite potential and the wear of a long professional road. He remains a functional starter with meaningful contributions, though his current production places him in the middle tier of starting tight ends across the league rather than the upper echelon he occupied during his peak Las Vegas Raider years. His body of work demands respect, and this season's numbers tell only part of a far richer story. On a per-reception basis, Waller continues to flash the route-running sophistication that made him a matchup problem in his prime, averaging 11.8 yards per reception against an NFL average of 10.1 — a genuine above-average mark that speaks to his ability to generate yardage after the catch and win at intermediate levels. The most striking number this season, however, is his touchdown-per-game rate of 0.67, which doesn't just clear the NFL average of 0.25 — it surpasses the elite threshold of 0.45, suggesting he is still being used as a red-zone weapon of consequence and rewarding that trust at a remarkable clip. The concern lies in volume: his 31.4 receiving yards per game sits below the NFL average of 35.0, indicating that while he wins when targeted, the Dolphins are not deploying him at the frequency his talent still warrants. That disconnect between efficiency and usage is the central tension in evaluating where Waller stands today. Looking forward, the trajectory — grading out at a B- in 2025 after a C- in 2023 and a B- in 2022 — suggests a player who has weathered the injury valleys and is trending back toward relevance rather than decline. If Miami finds ways to increase his target share and integrate him more consistently into their offensive structure, Waller has the tools to sustain a B-range performance well into the near term. The next season will be telling: a continued uptick in volume to match his already-elite scoring efficiency would signal one of the more remarkable late-career stabilizations at the position in recent memory.

Current Sentiment

Darren Waller enters the 2026 offseason in a precarious position, with multiple credible reports indicating the Miami Dolphins do not expect him to return to the roster. The organization's decision to extend an offer to tight end Julian Hill signals a clear intent to move on, further diminishing Waller's standing within the team's plans. A trade finalized at the 2026 NFL Draft involving a Dolphins pick tied to Waller underscores the transactional nature of his tenure in Miami. While a two-touchdown performance earlier in the season offered a brief moment of optimism, it was not enough to alter the franchise's direction at the position. At 32 years old on a modest contract with no Pro Bowl accolades, Waller faces significant uncertainty about his NFL future and will need to generate interest from a new team to extend his career.