Giants are giving Darren Waller some space

The Giants are hoping for an answer soon, but aren’t pressing him

Tight end Darren Waller was the crowning jewel of the New York Giants 2023 offseason. They sent a third-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for 6-foot-6, 245-pound receiving tight end in the hopes of accelerating the team’s rebuild.

It didn’t work out that way, and it came out last month that Waller is mulling retirement.

Giants GM Joe Schoen spoke to the media on Thursday ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he was (unsurprisingly) asked about Waller’s status with the team.

“We’re giving Darren some space. We’ve had conversations with Drew Rosenhaus, his agent, and he’s kept us in the loop on Darren,” Schoen said. “So we’re giving him space.”

But while the Giants are being understanding and giving Waller the time and space he needs to make the right decision for him, they understandably hope to get a decision soon.

“Hopefully, he’s going to make a decision here in the short term,” Schoen said. “But, you know, we’re getting him time and space to make a decision on what he wants to do.”

The draft is fast approaching and Waller’s decision could have a real influence on what the offense looks like in 2024. Whether or not the Giants have Waller as a big receiving threat could shape their perceived needs. Schoen, however, isn’t putting that on Waller.

“No,” Schoen said, “we haven’t given him a deadline.”

We’ll see what happens, though hopefully Waller comes to a decision sooner rather than later.