The single biggest reason for Giants fans to be optimistic about the team’s offense heading into the 2023 season is the off-season acquisition of tight end Darren Waller. (Waller + Tre Hawkins III seems like a decent return for Kadarius Toney, right?) Waller was available after his last two seasons were compromised by injuries, but in the two seasons before that he had been an elite receiver.
Ted Nguyen of The Athletic took a great look at how Waller gets open so often against different types of coverage.
Waller uses speed to win against linebackers and even safeties and strength to defeat cornerbacks who try to play press man coverage on him. On his best days, none of what the defense does works.
Look at his stats against various defenders in the Raiders’ 2020 31-28 victory over the New York Jets. This game is best known for the Jets’ inexplicable call of Cover 0 defense that left wide receiver Henry Ruggs in single coverage for the winning score on the final play of the game. It was however Waller’s best game as a pro:
Waller had 13 receptions in 16 targets for 200 yards (including 106 YAC), nine first downs, and two touchdowns. He was covered at various times by two different linebackers, two different safeties, and two different cornerbacks. None of it mattered, because Waller succeeded against them all.
