Giants Trade Darren Waller to Dolphins As TE Shockingly Unretires

The 32-year-old tight end is back in the NFL.

Giants tight end Darren Waller walks off the field after a game against the Rams at MetLife Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Darren Waller is back.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that the veteran tight end is coming out of retirement after stepping away from football last season. And he’ll join a new team, as Schefter also reported the Miami Dolphins are trading a 2026 sixth-round pick to the New York Giants for Waller and a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick.

Waller has agreed to sign a one-year contract worth $5 million with Miami.

The 32-year-old tight end was selected in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2015 NFL draft but didn’t make much of an impact until he joined the then-Oakland Raiders. He broke out in 2019, catching 90 passes for 1,145 yards, and followed it up in .20 with 107 receptions for 1,196 yards.

Waller played one year with the Giants in 2023, logging 52 catches for 552 yards and a touchdown, before deciding to hang up the cleats last year.

It’s been a busy week for the Dolphins’ front office. Miami traded Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

With Smith out of town, Waller likely becomes the Dolphins’ top pass-catching option at tight end. Tanner Conner, Jalin Conyers, Julian Hill and Hayden Rucci are the other tight ends currently on Miami’s roster.

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TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor’s in communication from St. John’s University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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