Dolphins activate Darren Waller off PUP list, Miami tight end to join practice 'sooner rather than later'
Miami acquired Waller in a trade with the Giants after the star tight end chose to come out of retirement
By
Chris Bengel
•
1 min read
The Miami Dolphins get their first glimpse of Darren Waller on the practice field in the near future, activating him off the physically unable to perform list. Coach Mike McDaniel recently stated that the Dolphins expected Waller to begin practicing "sooner rather than later." Waller continues to work himself back into "football shape" after retirement.
The former Pro Bowl tight end retired following the 2023 season with the New York Giants. However, Waller expressed his desire to return to the gridiron, and the Dolphins acquired the star tight end along with a 2027 conditional seventh-round pick in exchange for the Giants' 2026 sixth-round pick.
In his lone season with the Giants, Waller recorded 52 receptions for 552 yards and just one touchdown. However, Waller established himself as one of the league's top tight ends during his five seasons with the Las Vegas Raider prior to the trade. In 2020, Waller delivered the best season of his career with 107 receptions for 1,196 yards and a career-best nine touchdowns.
Waller figures to sit atop the tight end depth chart considering Miami traded Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason. After all, Miami doesn't possess a ton of production at the position with just Pharaoh Brown, Tanner Conner, Julian Hill and Hayden Rucci on its roster at the moment.
With landing in Miami, Waller will have an opportunity to play for Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, who was Waller's tight ends coach with the Raiders from 2018-20.
