From the very moment tight end Darren Waller was acquired by the New York Giants, expectations were through the roof. Finally, the team had a dynamic talent capable of taking their offense to the next level and anything short of that would be considered unacceptable.
On Friday night in a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, Waller made his Giants debut and everyone got a taste of what he brings to the table.
The Daniel Jones-Waller connection from popping from the jump as the two combined for three receptions tallying 30 yards on the opening drive. The sole hiccup was a Waller drop — the result of a big hit from Panthers safety Von Bell.
Daniel Jones 1st drive of preseason
8/9 69 yards 1 TD
Just flawless stuff from Daniel Jones and oh hey Darren Waller is sick pic.twitter.com/6KNzaDoU53
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) August 18, 2023
The good news is that Waller popped right back up. The better news is that the Giants capped off the drive with a touchdown. And the best news is that the Jones-Waller combination appears to match the training camp hype.
“I think we’ve made progress from where we started to where we’re at now, he’s been out there, he’s been dependable, he’s been available. We got a lot of work with Daniel, with Darren. We’ll just try to keep on grinding away with that,” head coach Brian Daboll.
Jones was a bit more animated than Daboll when asked about Waller, which is saying something for the usually reserved quarterback.
“I mean, he’s a big target. He runs good routes, creates separation, he’s an easy guy to find. So, yeah, he’s a talented player, smart guy, understands defense, understands where we’re trying to use him and how to get open,” Jones said. “He’s extremely versatile. I think that is something that’s impressed me. He’s got the vertical speed to run past people, but he’s also got good feel and understanding of the underneath stuff also.”
After the game, Waller joked that he owes Jones one after the drop.
“Hey, I’ll make it up to him,” he said with a laugh.
As impressed as Jones has been with Waller, the tight end has been equally impressed with his quarterback. The pair have spent a significant amount of time working together, both at team facilities and away from them, and Waller both appreciates and respects how Jones goes about his business.
“A lot of reps. A lot of reps that take place since April with OTA’s and then throwing sessions that nobody else was at except us and a couple of receivers,” Waller said. “Just continuing to get reps in, knowing where each other is — the timing we want. Where we expect each other to be, where I expect the ball to be, where he expects me to be when he releases something, so just a lot of time on task.
“I know for my process getting ready for a game I like to make my day to my personality, how I carry myself, be the same every day from practice to a game. I see that in him. It’s like there’s nothing really different from a practice to a game — like he has to get more hype or more intense, it’s like he’s just himself and confident in what he brings to the table and his performance is consistent as well and that’s why we love him.”
If Friday night’s connection is any indication of what’s to come, the Daniel Jones-Darren Waller hype is completely warranted.
