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The Miami Dolphins are hopeful that Darren Waller still has some good football left in him. Miami acquired Waller in a trade with New York after sending Jonnu Smith away in a separate trade. Now the veteran tight end is finally ready to hit the practice field.
The Dolphins announced on Wednesday that they’ve officially activated Darren Waller from the PUP list, per the team’s social media.
Waller is now able to practice with his teammates with the regular season just around the corner.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said on Monday that he believed Waller would be back sooner rather than later.
“This is where we thought a realistic assessment would be made, we’re kind of making that daily,” McDaniel said on Monday, per Myles Simmons of PFT. “I’m expecting to see him sooner than later. In the back of my mind, it would be this week, but I’m not going to just put him out there this week just because I said it before. I’m hopeful, but it’s very soon so we’re just making sure all our ducks are in a row before we take that listing off of him.”
Just two days later, Waller has been activated.
What are Miami’s expectations for Waller after coming out of retirement earlier this offseason?
McDaniel was not shy about sharing his expectations for Waller in a recent interview. He explained exactly what he wants to see from Waller before giving him more responsibilities.
“To make sure he’s on top of all the nuances of the position. So when he gets on the field, all things that we can control from an assignment standpoint, he’s accepted that challenge. I think his teammates have seen that he’s really on his stuff. I think he’s low key, a super cerebral player that likes to show off his mental capabilities, or at least he has since he’s been here,” McDaniel said.
“So he’s on it, and he hasn’t been shy of letting his teammates know how honored he is,” McDaniel added. “Specifically, when they make a mistake. So we’re doing all the little things. I think he’s in a good spot, and we’re excited to see him once he gets on the field.”
It sounds like Waller may already be one step ahead on the mental side of the game.
Now the Dolphins need to test Waller’s body to make sure he can withstand the rigor of an NFL season.
It will be interesting to see if Waller plays in Miami’s preseason finale against Jacksonville on Saturday.
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