"This is his second year playing the position, and it's astonishing what this man can do."
Tuesday 22 September 2020 12:59, UK
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden insists he would take Darren Waller over any tight end in the league after he starred on the team's opening night at the new and spectacular Allegiant Stadium.
Waller went off for 12 catches, 103 yards and a touchdown as quarterback Derek Carr's lead receiver in an impressive 34-24 win over the New Orleans Saints.
He entered 2020 on the back of a career year that saw him make 90 catches for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns. Waller played just four games upon signing for the Raiders in 2018, having been suspended for the entire 2017 season and the first four games of 2016, and featured six times in his rookie year after being drafted as a wide receiver by the Baltimore Ravens.
"Darren Waller is a great player, and our job is to get him the ball," said Gruden. "I'll take him out of any of the tight ends, and I know (Greg) Kittle and (Travis) Kelce are as good as they get, but Waller is right up there with them.
"This is his second year playing the position, and it's astonishing what this man can do."
Gruden's comments were echoed by Carr, who finished Monday night's game 28 of 38 for 283 yards and three touchdowns to build on an impressive Week One showing against the Carolina Panthers.
"I think he did an exceptional job," added Carr. "Whoever watches this game gets to see everything about Darren Waller that we know of him to be.
"He's not only one of the best players in the NFL, but he's one of the best humans in the NFL. I love that man, he's a great guy, great player and I'm glad to be his quarterback. I'm honoured."
As expected, the Raiders have started the year strongly on offense with Carr looking convincing under center and the arrival of Henry Ruggs, who was limited against the Saints after nursing a knock, injecting added speed to the team's receiver corps.
Josh Jacobs meanwhile continues to take strides as one of the league's rising stars in the backfield, the first-round pick from 2019 rushing for 88 yards off 27 carries on Monday.
It marks a big year for Carr, in particular, as he looks to reassure of his ability to lead the franchise forward having been criticised for being too conservative in the past.
"This guy's a great quarterback," said Gruden. "We're surrounding him with better players. And once our defense I think starts playing to their potential, he can even be better.
"He does so much with the ball and without the ball and behind the scenes that I think Raiders fans should really be proud of him, and I know I am."
With Waller and Jacobs playing as they are and a fully fit Ruggs still to come, Carr has the pieces around him to enjoy himself in Vegas.
Former NFL wider receiver, Nate Burleson, also talked up the play of tight end Waller on Good Morning Football, adding: "He had some ups and downs early on in his career, but there was nothing up and down about his game last night; he was a beast.
"He was a match-up problem. You didn't know if he was out there as a wide receiver, as a tight end - line him up against a cornerback, he wins, against a safety, a linebacker, he wins. He can do it all.
"When they needed a big play, they went to him, from the first quarter all the way to the fourth.
"If he continues playing like this, he's going to be knocking on the door of 'the best tight end' conversation. I know we love talking about Kittle, Kelce and Ertz - you'd better start talking about Waller."
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