Raiders tight end Darren Waller is woefully underpaid, given the current spikes in the market for high-end pass-catchers. But Waller has been unable to get a new contract from the new regime in Las Vegas.
With Week One approaching, Waller has activated the process of making an agent change. Out is Klutch Sports. As of Wednesday, Waller will be able to hire a new agent.
NFL Players Association rules impose a five-day waiting period following the termination of an agent, before a new one can be hired. The goal is to give the player time to be sure he wants to make a change, and to give the agent one last chance to change the player’s mind.
NFLPA records have yet to be updated to show that Waller is currently unrepresented.
Rumors are making the rounds that Waller will be hiring Drew Rosenhaus. Again, nothing can happen until Wednesday. Players have changed their minds in the past, during that five-day window. Waller could do the same thing.
Regardless of who Waller chooses, the bigger challenge will be getting the Raiders to replace his current deal with a new one. He’s schedule to earn base salaries of $6.25 million in each of the next two years. Per-game roster bonuses of up to $500,000 push the total package to $13.5 million over the next two years.
The massive contracts given to receiver Davante Adams ($28 million per year) and receiver Hunter Renfrow ($16.1 million per year) serve only to underscore the fact that Waller deserves much more. And the Raiders surely know it. The challenge continues to be coming up with the right number.
Presumably, Waller wants that to happen before Week One, which arrives only two weeks from today.