There’s a decent chance that the Minnesota Vikings need a tight end in two weeks when free agency begins, and longtime playmaker Darren Waller cannot be ruled out as an option. That’s the latest and greatest from Underdog Sports‘ Josh Norris.
Minnesota can chase a low-cost veteran, yet the tight end room already has young bodies in the pipeline.
Waller will be available on the open market to sign anywhere in the NFL, and he probably won’t cost much, which could appeal to a cash-strapped Vikings club.
Waller’s Price Tag Would Make Sense for Vikings
He’s not young, but the Vikings have plenty of young developmental tight ends.
Norris: Keep an Eye on Waller to Vikings
For starters, Palm Beach Post‘s Joe Schad noted this week on Waller’s impending free agency, “Darren Waller is interested in playing this year. Probably doesn’t make a ton of sense of Miami at the moment, Sullivan says.”
Cliff notes: The Dolphins’ new boss doesn’t see Waller in the mix for Miami in 2026.
Then, Underdog‘s Josh Norris retweeted the Schad article, commenting, “Frank Smith — who Waller is close with — was hired by the Vikings as their assistant head coach.”
And just like that — a mini-theory of Waller to Minnesota grows legs.
The Frank Smith Connection
On January 31st, the Vikings hired Smith — the guy Norris mentioned — and he spent the last four seasons as Mike McDaniel’s offensive coordinator in Miami. He now works as Minnesota’s assistant head coach, replacing Mike Pettine, who sort-of retired last month. Pettine later cited philosophical disagreements with defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
In Smith, the Vikings hope to improve their rushing offense, as the Dolphins have showcased Devon Achane over the last two seasons, leading a productive ground attack.
Well, there’s an additional perk for Waller enthusiasts: Smith coordinated him in the passing offense last year. Waller retired after the 2023 campaign in New York but returned with the Dolphins in 2025, making immediate noise in the redzone before succumbing to injuries, a familiar career theme for Waller.
If Minnesota needs a tight end, it could simply call upon Waller, with the Smith connection overtly in play.
Waller’s Resume
With the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019, Waller erupted to the tune of 1,145 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. He followed that effort with another fantastic campaign, banking 1,196 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns in 2020. Before injuries put the brakes on his career, Waller represented a Top 3 tight end leaguewide.
The Raiders later soured on his availability, and Waller landed with the New York Giants in 2023, playing 12 games and posting 52 receptions for 552 yards and one touchdown. He retired at age 32.
Fast forward to 2025, and the Dolphins took a flyer on his unretirement. On 34 targets, Waller produced 24 catches for 283 yards and 6 touchdowns. For a few weeks, he was a touchdown machine. Fantasy football managers can tell you all about it.
He’ll be 34 in September and probably shouldn’t be trusted as a true-blue TE1 given his injury resume, but at an affordable price, fans wouldn’t object to a free-agent contract.
The Athletic‘s Daniel Popper ranked Waller as the league’s 88th-best free agent last week and explained, “Waller came out of retirement and played nine games for the Dolphins last season after being traded there from the Giants.”
“He does not have quite the same long speed as he used to, but he is still an effective pass catcher. He remains a ball winner in contested-catch situations. Waller ranked seventh in yards per route last season among tight ends with at least 100 routes.”
The Big Verdict Incoming on T.J. Hockenson
Hockenson is scheduled to have the largest TE cap hit in the NFL next season: $21.3 millon. He was often relegated to blocking in 2025 due to the Vikings’ depleted offensive line. Even though he is among the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL, rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy rarely looked his way. Hockenson’s diminished role, given his substantial salary, puts his contract under review this offseason.
Releasing Hockenson after June 1 would free up almost $16 million in cap space, sufficient to acquire several new starters. Interim GM Rob Brzezinski must decide whether Hockenson will become a more focal point in McCarthy’s offense or whether the team would rather reallocate those funds to revamp the roster and alter its tight end strategy.
Perhaps needing a Hockenson replacement, Minnesota could evidently get creative with Waller — per the Norris theory. The TE room could look something like this:
- Darren Waller
- Josh Oliver
- Gavin Bartholomew
- Ben Yurosek
- Bryson Nesbit
Another Vikings tight end, Ben Sims, is set to hit the open market in March.
Waller reached the Pro Bowl in 2020. His next contract is expected to check in around $3 million or $4 million per season.
