The Giants acquired Waller in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders last offseason in exchange for a third-round pick. Early word out of training camp was that the veteran looked healthy and was a prime target for Daniel Jones. However, things didn’t work out so swimmingly once the season began. Waller battled injury, generating 552 yards and one touchdown in 12 games in 2023.
Waller hasn’t played a full season since 2020 — the last time he hit the 1,000-yard receiving mark.
“(The injury history) is part of the equation,” Waller said. “But that’s not the driving force behind making the decision. It isn’t just frustration from a health standpoint. It’s a lot deeper than that.”
Waller noted that the Giants haven’t put “an ultimatum on me” to make a decision. While he knows the club would like to know whether it has to fill a hole at tight end if he does retire, he’s unlikely to decide by the time free agency opens on Wednesday.
“I know the team is getting prepared for a new season, so I’m not trying to have it be this drawn-out thing,” Waller said. “I’ll be deciding pretty soon, but I haven’t made a decision yet.”
The veteran added that if he returns it wouldn’t be just to “collect an extra check.”
The Giants would earn $6.7 million in cap space if Waller retires, with $7.4 million in dead money — the same figures would apply if New York released the tight end.