A New York Jets rival just added some serious star power.
Former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller is coming out of retirement, and his rights have now been traded. The New York Giants shipped off Waller and a 2027 seventh rounder to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2026 conditional sixth rounder, per ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Trade: Dolphins are trading a conditional 2026 sixth to the New York Giants for a 2027 seventh-round pick and Darren Waller.
Waller is coming out of retirement after agreeing to a one-year deal with the Dolphins worth up to $5 million, per Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 1, 2025
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Waller, as part of this negotiation, is signing a one-year deal with a maximum value of $5 million, Schefter added.
Jets Have to Face Waller Twice in 2025
Waller, 32, last played in 2023 with the Giants. He didn’t participate this past season after retiring during the summer of 2024.
The former star tight end has proven to be a dynamic mismatch when his head has been screwed on straight and when he is healthy.
That last point has proven difficult to rely on. Waller, across his nine years in the NFL, has only been fully healthy twice for a full season.
The former Georgia Tech product has appeared in 86 games and has made 63 starts during his career. With those opportunities, Waller has racked up 350 receptions for 4,124 receiving yards and has scored 20 touchdowns.
Flurry of Steelers-Dolphins Trades Have Impact on Jets
The slew of trades that transpired between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dolphins on Monday, June 30, will have a direct impact on the Jets.
“The full trade, per source: Dolphins trade CB Jalen Ramsey, TE Jonnu Smith and a 2027 7th round pick to Pittsburgh for S Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 5th round pick,” ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques posted on social media.
The full trade, per source:
Dolphins trade CB Jalen Ramsey, TE Jonnu Smith and a 2027 7th round pick to Pittsburgh for S Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 5th round pick
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) June 30, 2025
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The Jets host the Steelers in the season opener, and they play Miami twice a season, being an AFC East rival.
When considering the ages of all the players involved, Fitzpatrick is the best player who was moved. The Jets now have to face him twice a year.
Fitzpatrick, 28, is a three-time first-team All-Pro and a former five-time Pro Bowler. He started his career with the Dolphins and has continued to dominate in Pittsburgh. The veteran defensive back has totaled 20 interceptions, 54 pass deflections, eight tackles for loss, and he has registered 608 tackles.
The good news is that the Jets won’t have to face Jonnu Smith twice; they’ll only have to face him once, versus Pittsburgh. Last year, he carved up the green and white, finishing with 12 receptions for 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
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