Darren Waller made an impact on the Raiders. He’s on verge of breaking Tim Brown’s record
For 23 years, former Raiders Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown held the franchise record for most receptions in a season.
That record could fall in the season finale Sunday when the Las Vegas Raiders (7-8) visit the Denver Broncos (5-10).
Raiders tight end Darren Waller is closing in on the franchise’s most receptions in a single season, needing just seven catches to surpass Brown’s 104 set in 1997.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden never envisioned that record falling.
“He’s a great player,” Gruden said of Waller. “He plays such a major role in so many different positions. He’s one of the best players I’ve ever seen play football.”
Since joining the Raiders in 2018, Waller has produced back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Raiders in 2019 and 2020.
Waller and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce are the only tight ends this season to hit the 1,000-yard mark.
Waller and running back Josh Jacobs were named to the AFC Pro Bowl team, a virtual honor this year with the game canceled due to the coronavirus. The NFL announced in October that the game will be played through Madden NFL 21.
Along with Brown’s record in mind, Waller needs 169 yards to surpass Todd Christensen (1,247 yards in 1983) for most receiving yards in a single season by a tight end in franchise history. He can also become the first tight end in Raiders history to record 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons.
Waller already set a Raiders record for most receptions in a single season by a tight end (98), surpassing Christensen’s 95 in 1986.
“It means a lot to break a record,” Waller said. “I don’t think that I have ever done anything like that before. It’s cool and I appreciate everything that goes into that. The quarterback throwing it, the time that he needs to throw it from the offensive line, the receivers that are running their routes and clearing out areas for me to make a play. There are a lot of people that go into that.”
Biggest catch for the Raiders
Waller was a sixth-round pick of the Ravens in the 2015 NFL draft. In 18 games with six starts over two seasons, he had just 12 catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns. He missed the 2017 season due to violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, then was placed on the Ravens’ practice squad in September 2018.
The Raiders signed Waller on Nov. 27, 2018, two days after their 34-17 loss to the Ravens. The move was made after defensive end Jacquies Smith (Achilles) was placed on injured reserve and wide receiver Johnny Holton was waived.
That led to Raiders fans making jokes and wondering why former Raider Paul Butler wasn’t utilized more.
During that time, Waller questioned what was next for him before the Raiders signed him.
“I had a good attitude the whole season about getting another opportunity in the NFL and take advantage of it, but that week I was kind of down,” Waller told The Bee Thursday. “It was Week 11 or Week 12 and I don’t know if anything is going to come from this. I just might be working at Sprouts or go back home just trying to figure something out after this. I didn’t see this coming. I’m definitely grateful. I feel like everything happened for a reason. I had to experience all those things to have the approach that I have today, to not only football but life.
“I’m just grateful for the small things, grateful for being in Vegas; the ride I get to see like the scenery on the drive to the building in the morning. It’s just the little things for me to help make you grateful for things like being on this team and putting up numbers. That is easy to be grateful for, but it’s just the little things for me that turns into big things.”
In October 2019, the 28-year-old Waller signed a four-year extension that is worth at least $29 million, according to Spotrac.
Derek Carr thinks highly of Waller
Prior to Waller joining the Raiders, Derek Carr was throwing passes to Jared Cook until the 2018 season.
Cook left the Raiders and joined the New Orleans Saints after compiling 1,584 receiving yards over two seasons.
That meant the Raiders tight ends for the 2019 season were Waller, Derek Carrier, Eric Tomlinson and Foster Moreau.
Carr has enjoyed having Waller by his side.
“I can say now that we’ve played a lot of games together,” Carr said. “There’s a lot of experience together. The knowledge and before you take that snap, you know you have a guy that can win like that, it makes all the difference in the world. You can play more confidently at the position.
“I’ve just been blessed to grow in this system the last couple of years with some similar players because it’s time on task that really, really matters. Just thankful for our organization for doing things the right way because as a quarterback, I can play better. I can play at a different level, cutting it loose and things like that. When you have guys like that, it helps a lot.”
This story was originally published January 1, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Darren Waller made an impact on the Raiders. He’s on verge of breaking Tim Brown’s record."
