Raiders sign TE Darren Waller to multi-year extension
ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Raiders have signed tight end Darren Waller to a multiyear contract extension, the team announced Wednesday evening.
According to a report by NFL Network, the extension runs through 2023 and will pay Waller around $9 million per year.
This season Waller leads the Raiders with 37 receptions for 359 yards through the club’s first five games.
Originally a Ravens sixth-round pick in 2015, Waller struggled with addiction issues and was suspended for four games in 2016 and the entire 2017 season for violating the league’s policy on substance abuse. He was reinstated in August 2018 and stuck on the Ravens’ practice squad for much of the season, before the Raiders signed him in late November. He appeared in four games for the Raiders last season, making six receptions for 75 yards.
During the offseason, the Raiders tabbed Waller to replace former tight end Jared Cook, who led the club with 896 yards receiving in 2018. Waller has excelled as a blocker and receiver this season. He is on pace to finish with nearly 1,150 yards receiving.
“He’s a very driven, motivated person who just has an unbelievable work ethic,” Raiders tight end coach Frank Smith recently told the Review-Journal about Waller.
Smith also noted that Waller is just scratching the surface of his full potential.
“You hate to put a ceiling on anything,” Smith said. “You just like to say that if he keeps continuing to grow, he could take his game to a level that’s going to be pretty awesome to watch.”
Waller is now slated to do just that with the Raiders well into their tenure in Las Vegas.
Contact Myles Simmons at msimmons@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Follow @MylesASimmons on Twitter.
