Browns set for matchup vs. versatile Raiders TE
It’s as if a light flicked on for Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller to get him out of the darkness.
After two suspensions for substance abuse earlier in his career, the former Baltimore Ravens sixth-round draft pick, learned from his mistakes and produced a breakout season last season for the Raiders with 90 catches for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns.
This season, he’s on track to repeat the feat.
He will arrive at Firstenergy Stadium on Sunday leading the Raiders in receptions (40) and receiving yards (345). He’s currently tied with Kansas City Chiefs counterpart Travis Kelce for most receptions in the league at their position and he’ll play against a Browns defense that gives up a lot of yardage through the air, ranking No. 30 in the league (288.1 yards per game) in pass defense.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden has no shortage of praise for Waller.
“He is really smart, and he is so talented. He is one of the top two or three physical talents that I have coached in my career, and I can honestly say I have coached some great, great talents,” Gruden said during a conference call last week. “This man can play wide out. He can definitely go outside the numbers and play like a receiver.”
Look at a highlight reel and it’s evident Waller possesses that ability, but the frame, 6-foot-6, 255 pounds, is reminiscent of Philadelphia Eagles great Harold Carmichael, who was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame recently.
“He is more of a receiver body than an actual tight end. As far as in the passing game, you have to make the correct adjustment when dealing with someone like that,” Browns linebacker B.J. Goodson said earlier this week. “That is about it. Just have to understand who you are dealing with. It is all about personnel and knowing your matchups.”
Waller’s uniqueness could make finding a favorable matchup against him problematic for the Browns.
“He has incredible length, speed and hands and can drop his weight and make cuts for a taller player. They do a nice job where they move him everywhere,” Browns linebacker coach Jason Tarver said. “For us, it is going to be the whole defensive team. What I mean by that is we are going to change the matchups and change the calls. You have to know where he is in the formation and then it is the mix of the calls that will help us deal with him.”
“He at time looks like a wide receiver, a very good one at that, and at time he looks like a tight end blocking people, and a good one at that,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “There is versatility there.”