ESPN: The Negative Impact New York Giants Key player has caused so far…..

The retirement of Darren Waller this summer has negatively impacted the tight end room for the New York Giants. The sensational addition from the previous offseason was sidelined for a large portion of 2023 before declaring he was hanging up his cleats this spring.

With Waller expected to be Daniel Jones’s primary playmaker in the passing game, the Giants offense had high expectations heading into the previous season. Regretfully, Waller and Jones had trouble recovering from injuries. Jones’s season was cut short by an ACL tear in Week 9, and he has since been recuperating.

Coming into this year, Jones is shrouded in uncertainty. Some of his skeptics appear to be located inside the organization’s headquarters. Even though he won’t be playing with his quarterback this season, Waller is still confident in his skills.

Giants: Daniel Jones continues to inspire confidence in Darren Waller

Waller discussed his opinions on Jones heading into this season and expressed his trust in his former quarterback as he begins a comeback effort during a guest appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio:

Waller previously stated on SiriusXM NFL Radio, “I’m just excited for him to get another opportunity” (h/t NFL.com). “I think he has a horrible reputation. 2022, dude, he was such a talented football player. It wasn’t until last year that he had the chance to play with his new bag outside. It was difficult for us as an offense to cover him, and you can’t expect a quarterback to perform at their highest level in the pocket when they are back there unprotected.

“[I’m] hopeful that those issues will be resolved so that he can demonstrate his talent and athleticism and be given the chance to play the football that he was playing in 2022. That seems to be something that he still possesses.

Waller raises some important issues. Last season, the Giants had trouble keeping Jones and the three quarterbacks who saw action safe. They gave up the most sacks of any club since 1997 throughout the year, with a league-high 85 allowed.

It was also shrewd of him to draw attention to Jones’s and the Giants’ offensive performance in 2022. During that season, Jones recorded career-highs of 3,205 passing yards and 708 rushing yards, while contributing a combined 22 touchdowns via the air and on the ground. Jones gained recognition as a dual-threat quarterback and was awarded a large deal in the previous offseason.

Thanks to Jones’s effectiveness and high caliber of play, the Giants concluded the 2022–2023 season with a 9–7–1 record and went on to win their first postseason game in more than ten years. The Giants offense should be able to score more points and win more games if Danny Dimes can return to that level of play this season.