Earlier this offseason, the Miami Dolphins surprisingly traded for Darren Waller, who was previously retired for a season. While the deal came at just the cost of a sixth-round pick, and the Dolphins even got a conditional seventh-round pick back, trading for a soon-to-be 32-year-old who just retired is certainly risky. Now it seems even riskier with Waller being listed as their first-string tight end despite not being able to practice as he is getting back into shape.
The three tight ends behind Waller, Julian Hill, Pharaoh Brown, and Tanner Conner, combined for just 181 yards last season. Listing Waller as their starting tight end speaks volumes to Miami's lack of depth at the position and how much they are counting on him. When the Dolphins traded for Waller, it could be seen as an intriguing gamble. However, if they are expecting significant production from him, they could be in for a rude awakening, and this move certainly seems even riskier than it needs to be.
Dolphins seem to be counting on Darren Waller to play a significant role
With no clear other option at tight end, paired with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle coming off down seasons, the Phins need to get some production out of Waller. Furthermore, last year's tight end Jonnu Smith, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, led the team in touchdowns (8) and recorded 884 yards. Unfortunately, Waller's best days seem to be behind him. Simply put, the guy retired last year for a reason.
Waller had a career season with the Las Vegas Raiders back in 2020, posting 1,196 yards and 9 touchdowns. However, in his three seasons played since 2020, he hasn't exceeded 665 yards and 3 touchdowns. Additionally, he hasn't played a full season, struggling especially with lower-body injuries. Having to play back into game shape is somewhat to be expected after missing a full season. Still, it's a concern, especially given his injury history and that the Dolphins are expecting Waller to have a sizable role in their offense.
According to Draft Sharks, Waller has an alarming 82.1 percent chance of getting injured this season. Undoubtedly, this should be a concern for Dolphins fans, especially given how big a role the organization seems to be expecting him to play.
Overall, taking a flyer on Waller is one thing, but expecting him to play a significant role in your offense is an undeniable risk in 2025. It's far too early to make any definitive judgments, but the early returns of the Waller experiment don't seem promising for the Dolphins.