After an unlikely start to his NFL career, Darren Waller found his way to the Oakland Raiders, and for years, he was the engine that made the offense go. But like too many players, he flamed out under Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas in 2022 and was out of the league by the end of the following season.
Or so we thought.
Waller retired, became a rapper for a while, then returned to the NFL, as the New York Giants traded him to the Miami Dolphins last offseason. He dealt with injuries upon his arrival, which seemed to be the final nail in the coffin. But he actually rebounded for a solid campaign in 2025.
Once again this offseason, Waller was without a home, and it seemed like the NFL's Grim Reaper was about to knock on his door and force him to call it quits. But the Carolina Panthers swooped in before their second preseason game and signed him to a one-year deal, via ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Former Raiders TE Darren Waller staves off NFL mortality by inking deal with Panthers
At one point, Waller survived in this league based on his immense physical gifts alone. But Jon Gruden saw something special in him, and for a short period of time, Waller was a Pro Bowl-level player, and one of the most feared pass-catching tight ends that the league had to offer.
Now, however, Waller is surviving in this league based on connections and barely staying afloat. When he landed in Miami before last season, it was because Frank Smith, who was his tight ends coach in Oakland and Las Vegas and helped him become a star, was the Dolphins' offensive coordinator.
Miami's passing game coordinator in 2025, Darrell Bevell, is now an assistant head coach for the Panthers. After catching 24 balls for 283 yards and six scores last season, Bevell was apparently able to convince the Carolina leadership that the nearly 34-year-old Waller is worth a shot.
According to The Athletic's Joseph Person, Waller still has to pass his physical and do other onboarding stuff before officially joining the Panthers for practice. But if all goes well, he could see the field as soon as Saturday, when Carolina travels to face the Buffalo Bills in an exhibition.
It's not like the Panthers have some tremendous group of tight ends, as Tommy Tremble is the starter, and Mitchell Evans and Ja'Tavion Sanders were his backups. Now, Waller figures to be Tremble's primary backup, and he could find himself with a solid role right away in Carolina.
Obviously, at 33 years old, Waller isn't likely to play for much longer, and his best days are certainly behind him. But he can still be an asset for tight-end-needy teams, as he showed last season with the Dolphins. The key for him at this juncture is just staying healthy, and he'll keep the Grim Reaper at bay.
Congrats, Darren!
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