NFL trade grades: Giants swindle the Raiders for Darren Waller

The New York Giants have traded for Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller. New York has acquired another weapon for quarterback Daniel Jones.

Daniel Jones took a big step forward in 2022, enough for the Giants to sign him to a long-term extension. Jones signed a four-year, $160 million extensions (with plenty of provisions from New York’s perspective) that will keep him tied to the organization for years to come.

New York’s head coach, Brian Daboll, helped Josh Allen unlock his potential with the Buffalo Bills. He hopes to do the same with Jones in New York. The first step to that, however, is acquiring some weapons for a Pro Bowl-caliber player.

Jones already has Saquon Barkley in the backfield, who will be rejoining his quarterback next season. At tight end, the Giants have traded for Las Vegas Raiders star Darren Waller, which is a significant upgrade.

NFL trade grades: Giants acquire Raiders TE Darren Waller

The trade is as follows:

Giants Get

TE, Darren Waller

Raiders Get

2023 third-round pick

It’s simple, and not much math is required.

The Raiders signed Waller to a three-year contract extension on the eve of the 2022 season. The deal will pay Waller around $17 million per campaign, and runs through 2024. The financial aspect of this trade likely signal why the Raiders would be willing to part with a player as talented as Waller in the first place.

Raiders trade grade: C

There are more moves to come from Las Vegas’s perspective.

Waller has also missed significant time the last two seasons. In 2021, he played just 11 games. Last year, he started only six contests, catching 28 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns, which are pedestrian numbers for a player of his caliber.

NY Giants trade grade: B+

New York will expect more from Waller, even though the compensation wasn’t much. The Giants traded away the comp pick they received in the Kadarius Toney deal for Waller.

Considering Waller is one of the better tight ends in football when healthy, this trade is a win for New York. For the Raiders, this looks more like a salary dump, and the compensation is underwhelming.

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Author: Mark Powell