Well, nobody had this on their offseason bingo card. Just weeks before training camp, Joe Schoen and the Giants pull off a Tuesday morning shocker. No, not Kayvon Thibodeaux or any of the other rumors you’ve heard, this one came straight out of left field.
Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller is coming out of retirement and the Giants are trading him to the Miami Dolphins. According to Adam Schefter , the Giants are receiving a 2026 sixth-round pick in exchange for Waller and a conditional seventh-round pick in 2027.
Correction on the conditional pick: Giants get a 2026 6th-round pick from Miami.
Giants trade the Dolphins a conditional 2027 7th-round pick.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 1, 2025
Trade signals the Giants are ready to cut their losses
The 33-year-old tight end was brought in by the G-Men two offseasons ago in exchange for a third-round draft pick- the same one the Giants got from Kansas City for Kadarius Toney. The Raiders used the selection to draft Cincinnati speedster Tre Tucker, who has had a solid career.
The hope was that Waller would give Daniel Jones a legit weapon in the passing game, but unfortunately, the Waller experiment didn’t pay off.
Injuries have hampered what was once a promising career. Waller missed 19 games across his last three seasons, including five with the Giants. In his lone year in East Rutherford, he recorded 52 receptions for 552 yards and just one touchdown in 12 games.
After the year, he opted to retire from football for mental health reasons before beginning to pursue a career in music. However, the break was short-lived, and is now back on the sidelines after just a year off.
This also marks the second consecutive day where the Dolphins struck a deal. They made a blockbuster deal which sent Jonnu Smith and Jalen Ramsey to Pittsburgh yesterday, and filled the tight end void the Fins left behind by dealing Smith.
Waller joins a Dolphins offense loaded with playmakers, becoming the latest in a string of intriguing weapons for Tua Tagovailoa. He’ll be complemented by Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and De’Von Achane, so unlike with the Giants, he won’t draw all of the defensive attention.
As for the Giants?
The new nucleus of the offense is the young crop of receivers, headlined by Malik Nabers. That's been clear to see since his record-breaking rookie campaign.
For Big Blue, this isn’t a loss. It’s a calculated step forward. The Waller era may not have delivered on expectations, but the Giants aren’t standing still. They netted a pick in return for a player who hasn’t played since 2023, I can’t fault that. And now it is Theo Johnson’s turn to show what he’s capable of.
Since New York isn’t looking to compete this season, both sides really get what they’re looking for out of this one.
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