Also, TE Darren Waller (hamstring/IR) is making progress. Doesn't sound as though it's enough for him to move off IR.
— Patricia Traina (@Patricia_Traina) December 13, 2023
There have been conversations around New York Giants tight end Darren Waller making his return from injured reserve this weekend against the New Orleans Saints, though he last played on Oct. 29 versus the New York Jets before missing the next five games with a hamstring injury.
Waller of course would like to play, but he’s yet to be activated from injured reserve, though his 21-day window opened on Thursday. He can return to practice but it’s too soon to say for certain whether he’ll play on Sunday. For right now, it seems the Saints will dodge Waller.
That’s welcome news for New Orleans. Waller only played in eight games this season but he still ranks second in receptions (36) and receiving yards (384) for Big Blue. And the Saints have not performed well against tight ends to say the least, so Waller’s potential return is one to watch. Look at some of these final receiving lines from recent matchups against pass-catching tight ends:
- Week 9 vs. Chicago Bears: Colle Kmet 6 catches for 55 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Week 10 vs. Minnesota Vikings: T.J. Hockenson 11 catches for 134 yards, 1 touchdown
- Week 13 vs. Detroit Lions: Sam LaPorta 9 catches for 140 yards, 1 touchdown
If he can go he would play a limited role, but he could still be dangerous with a small amount of snaps. If he can’t play, Daniel Bellinger has been the leading tight end since Waller’s injury. Bellinger has averaged 2.2 catches and 27.6 receiving yards per game over the last five games. Saints quarterback Derek Carr knows Waller’s strengths well from their time together on the Raiders, and he’s gashed New Orleans before. We’ll keep an eye out for his progress at Giants practice this week.
