Giants reportedly expecting standout TE to retire

Giants tight end Darren Waller did not have the 2023 season he imagined after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 8 that nagged him the rest of the year. 

He has been contemplating retirement all offseason, and it seems he is nearing his decision.

According to ESPN's Jordan Raanan, Waller is likely to make a decision by next week's mandatory minicamp about his playing future, and people in and around the team expect that he's going to retire.

Waller supported that idea when he said a decision was coming very soon during an Instagram Live on Friday.

His expected decision to retire hasn't caught New York off guard, however. The team has been preparing all offseason for the scenario in which Waller calls it a career.

The Giants signed tight end Jack Stoll in free agency and selected tight end Theo Johnson in the fourth-round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Stoll and Johnson are joining 2022 fourth-round tight end Daniel Bellinger in the room.

The 31-year-old Waller could still change has mind, as he has reportedly gone back and forth on the decision, but "it would be a pleasant surprise" to New York if he chose to return for his 10th season in the NFL, per Raanan.

Waller has been focusing on his music, releasing a new song last week, and has been questioning his "commitment level" to football, he told The Athletic.

The Giants would gain $11.9M in cap savings this year if he were a post-June 1 cut, which would be helpful as they have just $1.095M in cap space, per Over The Cap.

Waller has dealt with injuries throughout his career, but there's no arguing he's been one of the league's top tight ends when healthy. He registered 1,000 yards in the only two seasons he appeared in more than 12 games. 

If he does officially hang up his cleats in the coming days, he will have finished his career with 350 catches for 4,124 yards and 20 touchdowns.