Green Bay Packers Report: Trade Interest in TE Darren Waller
By Paul Bretl
The Green Bay Packers need to add another weapon to this offense–well, actually, they probably need more than just one.
My thinking all along has been that any major addition would come through the draft, while I know many others are hoping that the Packers can pull off a trade for one of the young, up-and-coming receivers, who may or may not be available–although, I don’t see that as very likely.
However, there appears to be another scenario in play that would give the Green Bay Packers’ passing attack a welcomed boost.
According to Aaron Nagler of Cheesehead TV, a pair of league sources tell him that Green Bay is targeting tight end Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders. Nagler would also add that the “Packers and Raiders have engaged in talks regarding a trade of Waller with an eye toward a deal getting done during this week’s NFL draft.”
And apparently, this isn’t the first time that the Packers have tried to acquire Waller. When Green Bay and Las Vegas were discussing a trade for Davante Adams, Nagler mentions that Waller was also a part of those discussions; however, nothing ever materialized because it is against league policy for a player to be included in a trade for another player who hasn’t signed the franchise tag–which Adams hadn’t.
While Waller isn’t technically a receiver, he has been a force in the passing game the last few seasons, emerging as one of the game’s best tight ends. Over the last three years with the Raiders, Waller has been targeted 357 times, catching 73% of those passes with 14 touchdowns–including nine in 2020.
Waller would total 1,146 receiving yards in 2019 and 1,196 in 2020, which also included being one of the best tight ends in football at picking up YAC. This past season he would play in only 11 games due to injuries but still managed 741 receiving yards, according to PFF ($$).
He’s spent 24% of his career snaps on the boundary — which is where the Packers specifically need pass-catchers — and 28% of his time in the slot, with the rest having come lined up inline. Waller’s ability to move around would allow Matt LaFleur to utilize him in a multitude of ways while providing Aaron Rodgers with a red zone target and a big-play threat.
Initially, I mentioned that I didn’t think a trade was likely for one of those young receivers, such as Deebo Samuel, AJ Brown, DK Metcalf, or Terry McLaurin, and a big reason why is because each is in the final year of their rookie deal and is going to require a massive new contract. With Green Bay having a large chunk of cap space in future seasons already allocated while also still needing to pay Jaire Alexander, Rashan Gary, and Elgton Jenkins, I see the salary cap once again being an issue.
However, for Waller, it’s a bit of a different story. According to Spotrac, he still has two years remaining on his current contract, which comes with a modest base salary of $6.25 million in 2022 and 2023.
With their current cap situation, if the Green Bay Packers had to absorb that amount, they likely could. But if Waller wants his contract reworked, which leads to Green Bay tacking on a few additional years — along with some voided years potentially — they could pay him and still possibly lower his 2022 cap hit in the process.
For what it’s worth, currently, George Kittle is the league’s highest-paid tight end at $15 million per year.
In order to make this deal happen, it may take Green Bay sending one of their second-round picks to Las Vegas, which, if that’s the case, seems like a reasonable price to pay and would still net them an additional first-round pick after everything is said and done.
As always, we will continue to play the waiting game to see what potentially unfolds, but for a Green Bay Packers offense that needs some playmaking ability, Waller would certainly provide that.