Darren Waller's time with the Raiders came to an end during the 2023 NFL offseason when he was traded to the Giants.
It certainly doesn't seem like the 30-year-old is missing Las Vegas. In fact, he is loving being with Brian Daboll and the Giants.
Waller spoke about his experience in New York Thursday on the third day of Giants OTAs. He was effusive in his praise of the organization and how they treat their players.
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"Yeah, they value our opinions here," Waller said, per ESPN. "As a player, I feel like a lot of places I've gone, you're told to do things a certain way and you do those things. But here it's like, they ask a lot of questions. They want to know what you're thinking, what you want to do more.
"So to offer input is a really cool thing because coaches and players have to be in partnership. We're all together and shouldn't be clashing with each other. We're all going in the same direction."
Some could read that as a veiled shot at the Raiders. Las Vegas failed to live up to expectations last season in Josh McDaniels' first year with the team. As such, the Raiders underwent some key changes this offseason, including trading Waller and signing Jimmy Garoppolo to replace Derek Carr at quarterback. That has led to some apparent strife within the organization, and Davante Adams recently said he "didn't see eye-to-eye" with the team about its direction.
Waller endured a rocky 2022 season during which he struggled with injuries and saw his relationship with the team suffer. Part of the tension stemmed from Waller's decision to travel and propose to WNBA star Kelsey Plum during Las Vegas' bye week without telling any team personnel that he wouldn't be rehabbing.
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So, it's easy to understand why some would see Waller's comments as a shot at the Raiders.
Still, it seems that his praise of the Giants is more about his genuine affinity for the team's culture as opposed to any true disdain for the Raiders.
"It's different from team to team. I'm on my third now. There's different cultures everywhere you go. There is different types of energies," Waller said. "This is a really light place, a really fun place, a really empowering place where you just be yourself always. And as long as you're not putting the team at risk by getting a flag or things like that, you can really let your personality show.
"That's what I love about being here. It's just been fun. It's also been challenging. Guys holding you to a high standard since I got here and I try to reciprocate that."
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It will be interesting to see if Waller continues to feel this way about the Giants if he endures any struggles or hardships during the 2023 NFL season. But for now, it seems like the tight end is content as he prepares to be a big part of the New York offense.