In a shocking development on Tuesday, the New York Giants parted ways with a player they never thought they’d see again.

Attempting a comeback after suddenly retiring last offseason, former Giants tight end Darren Waller received enough interest to generate a trade with the Miami Dolphins. The Giants gave up Waller and a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 conditional sixth-round pick.

Even though this is essentially a late-pick swap, the Giants are getting something for a player who was already on the retired list.

When looking at grading each side of the deal, ESPN’s Seth Walder gave the Giants a solid “B” grade.

This was just a very late-round pick swap and a deal worth up to $5 million. So we’ll see what the real money ends up being, but it will likely be lower than that. For the Giants, this is found money under the couch cushion. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.

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It is a bit peculiar that the Dolphins received a slightly better grade in the trade despite the fact that they’re acquiring a player who retired to pursue a rapping career.

There’s no doubt Waller was once one of the most dynamic receiving threats at the tight end position across the entire NFL, but those days are far behind him. In his only season with the Giants in 2023, Waller recorded 52 receptions for 552 yards and one touchdown.

After trading away Jonnu Smith, the Dolphins certainly needed to add to the tight end room, while it’s difficult to fault the Giants for trading away a player they deemed retired.