Oakland Raiders: Expectations should be curbed for Darren Waller

The Oakland Raiders will be expecting big things from Darren Waller in 2019, but expectations surrounding the fourth-year tight end should be curbed.

Expectations are undoubtedly high for Oakland Raiders tight end Darren Waller as we near the start of the 2019 season. But it’s far from a guarantee that he will be able to meet those lofty expectations.

The Raiders lost standout tight end Jared Cook in the offseason who was fresh off of a 68-catch, 896-yard season in which he was the team’s leading receiver. Cook has spent the last two seasons serving as quarterback Derek Carr‘s safety blanket and favorite target.

But now, Carr will need to find a new favorite.

The Raiders receiving core is completely revamped from last season with the likes of Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams headlining what will hopefully be a much-improved unit. Still, many are expecting Waller to get many of the same opportunities that Cook received the last two years.

However, banking on similar production could be a bit too optimistic.

Waller has had a very interesting NFL career thus far having originally been drafted in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens as a wide receiver. A conversion to tight end seemed promising but injuries and suspensions have limited his career success.

The Georgia Tech product has been suspended twice for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy and spent the majority of his rookie season on the injured reserve. As a result, his career production has been next to nothing.

Waller has just 18 catches to his name through four NFL seasons with just six receptions for 75 yards over the last two years — he was suspended for the entirety of the 2017 season. He is, for all intents and purposes, a virtual unknown.

Related Story. Oakland Raiders: What to expect from the team’s young linebackers?. light

And even though he has the size/speed combination that could make him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, he hasn’t shown the consistency to even be on the field regularly — let alone make a significant impact.

Yes, this will without question be the biggest opportunity of his career. One might even call if a second-chance opportunity. Perhaps a new lease on his football life.

But to expect top-10 tight end production this season would be foolish.

More from Golden Gate Sports

That isn’t to say it can’t be done. Waller certainly has the talent to play at a high level in the NFL. But we just haven’t seen it yet.

And after four seasons in the NFL that could essentially be considered failures, we already have a pretty sizable sample size to base his career on.

All of this is to say that we should probably curb our expectations with Waller to begin the season.

He’s been given the majority of the first-team reps in training camp but there are still a couple of other tight ends on the roster who could fight for playing time. Most notably fourth-round rookie Foster Moreau could be given a chance if Waller struggles early on.