Panthers TE Darren Waller says his conditioning is ‘night and day’ better than year ago

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Darren Waller finally signed with the Carolina Panthers on Monday, five days after his agent called the veteran tight end and told him he’d found a team for him.

Waller worked on the side during Monday’s practice, held in sweltering temperatures, and isn’t expected to do much Wednesday when the Panthers practice against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Still, Panthers coach Dave Canales liked what he saw when the soon-to-be 34-year-old arrived at training camp.

“He looks like he’s in phenomenal shape,” Canales said. “He was leaking (sweat) out here. This is a different kind of 117 (heat) index than Vegas is, where he lives. He mentioned that. He’s soaking wet. But it was a good opportunity to see where he’s at.”

Waller said his conditioning level is “night and day” from last summer, when he didn’t decide until June to end his one-year retirement and play again. Waller tore his quad two weeks into the Miami Dolphins’ camp and ended up missing eight games with three different injuries.

Waller said he started his offseason training this year the day after the Super Bowl. But he still had to wait until mid-August for a team to call. “Anybody that offered me a job, I was gonna play,” he said.

That somebody was the Panthers, who were looking to add to their tight end mix with a proven pass catcher whose size-speed combo brings a different look to their passing game.

“You can play him like a tight end, you can play him like a receiver. He’s huge. Just standing with him out there, he’s all of 6-6 and a half. He’s lean. He can run. All those things,” Canales said.

“It’s a unique element that he brings to whatever offense he’s been a part of. The goal is just throw him into that room, challenge that room and see which guys want to elevate and create that role for Bryce (Young).”

Waller spent the first part of Monday’s practice doing conditioning exercises with running back Chuba Hubbard, edge rusher Cam Gill and a few other injured players. He congratulated Tommy Tremble after a catch in team drills, and picked the tight ends’ brains for help in learning the playbook.

“The script sheet looks like Mandarin Chinese to me right now,” he said. “But soon it’ll be something that I understand a lot more.”

Waller, who turns 34 in September, said teams were probably scared off by his age and durability concerns after his season in Miami, where he caught only 24 passes but took six in for touchdowns.

“Sometimes it can be like, damn, I’m doing all this work since the day after the Super Bowl, when is it gonna happen? But uncertainty’s kind of the name of the game,” Waller said. “I’m new to this free-agent situation. But it is what it was. I’m grateful that it happened in the timing that it did.”

One of Waller’s best games last year came in Week 5 at Bank of America Stadium. The former Georgia Tech receiver caught five passes for 78 yards and a TD — all in the first half — in the Panthers’ 27-24 victory.

Canales indicated the Panthers plan to break Waller in slowly. He won’t participate in team drills against the Jags, but could see individual work so he can begin to develop timing with Young.

Based on his offseason training, Waller is confident he can still be a downfield threat.

“I was able this year to get back to places I feel like explosive-wise, top speed-wise, getting out of routes, just as good as I have any point in my career. So that’s very encouraging,” he said. “Just to be able to move the way that I’m moving at my age, I feel like it’s a blessing.”