Raiders Working on Waller's Contract Extension

The Las Vegas Raiders are currently working on extending Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller.

The Las Vegas Raiders are currently in contract negotiations to extend Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller.

Waller confirmed the negotiations on the Ross Tucker Podcast last week when speaking of tight end salaries in the NFL.

“My agent is working on that, I understand it, but I know if I focus on it too much, it could take away from my job and learning a new system and just continuing to try to elevate and take care of my body in the right way. I try to focus on those things and let my agent handle that. When decisions need to be made, decisions need to be made,” Waller said during the podcast.

Contract negotiations can be a distraction on both sides of the table, but Waller has kept out of it and allowed his agent to take care of the business side, while he participates in the Raiders’ voluntary off-season programs.

Waller has emerged as one of the best tight ends of the league in the last couple of seasons, and has become Derek Carr’s security blanket in the passing game.

Despite being the Raiders' No. 1 option, Waller is set to make an average of $7 million in each of the next two seasons, and with no guaranteed money in the remainder of his contract.

His 2019 contract extension was good then, but Waller has surpassed the team’s expectations and out-performed his contract.

Waller’s contract ranks 15th in the NFL at his position, and he ranks 17th in average pay for tight ends, per Over the Cap.

Last season, despite only playing 11 games due to injury and COVID-19, Waller managed to record 55 receptions for 665 receiving and two touchdowns.

As frustrating as it seems, Waller would miss five games the entire season, starting with an ankle injury in week seven, then knee injury and testing positive for COVID-19 from Week 13 through 16.

“It was a lot of diversity, it was frustrating, of course, because I felt like just statistically wise I was on pace for another 1,000-yard season and just continuing to be there on a day-to-day basis with the team on that journey,” Waller said.

In recent tight end extensions, Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku received a four-year, $56.75-million contract extension with $28 million guaranteed on Friday, making him the fifth-highest paid tight end in the league.

In Njoku’s five seasons in the NFL, he has recorded 148 receptions for 1,754 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Waller has made 252 receptions for 3,006 yards and 14 touchdowns in three seasons.

The top five tight end contracts are averaging between $14-15- million a year.

Hopefully, the Raiders will pay Waller within that range.

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