It’s go-time for Darren Waller, the Raiders’ dynamic playmaker

On the same day that Raiders tight end Darren Waller torched the New York Jets for 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns, the lingering impression he left with his coaches and teammates wasn’t as a pass-catcher at all.

In fact, just before their biggest play of the season, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr motioned for Waller to stay near the line of scrimmage as a blocker rather than sprint downfield as a playmaker.

Seconds later, the impact Waller made picking off Jets linebacker Jordan Jenkins, who was zeroing in on Carr in an all-out blitz, was every bit as important as any of his receptions. By perfectly executing his block, Waller allowed Carr to step up in the pocket and find Henry Ruggs for a game-winning 46-yard touchdown pass.

It was further proof that Waller is emerging as one of the best all-around tight ends in the game, not only as a premier receiver but as someone the Raiders can count on in a variety of ways.

“The dude is unbelievable,” Carr said. “He gets the credit because the fantasy stat people love him. But he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for what he can do in the run and pass game protection-wise. He’s the complete package.”

Just as importantly, Waller is a player who is now mentally locked in no matter the task.

Waller was called on as a pass blocker on six snaps against the Jets, and the 55 snaps he’s taken in that role this year is on pace to exceed the 66 he had last year. According to the 1 to 100 grading scale of Pro Football Focus, Waller earned a season-high 75.1 pass-block grade on Sunday.

“I feel like I’ve definitely grown in just my focus throughout the game,” Waller said. “I felt like sometimes last year I’d be doing well, but my mind would wander. But this year, I feel like I’m locked in all the time. And, you know, whatever’s asked me, I’m not complaining about it. I’m just willing to do it.”

According to PFF, Waller is the fifth-best tight end in the game, slotting one spot ahead of San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowler George Kittle and four spots behind Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, the top-ranked tight end.

The difference, of course, is the Raiders are getting their star at a fraction of the cost the 49ers and Chiefs are paying.

The 27-year-old Kittle signed a five-year, $75 million deal last August that guarantees him $40 million, with an annual yearly salary average of $15 million. The 31-year-old Kelce signed a five-year, $57.25 million contract last summer that pays him $14.3 million per season, with a total guarantee of $20.75 million.

In contrast, the 28-year-old Waller signed a four-year, $29.8 million deal last October that pays him $7.4 million per season, with $10.6 million fully guaranteed.

Granted, the three players are at various points of their careers, and Waller’s personal situation battling back from addiction before blossoming into a breakout star last year leaves him a few steps behind the career production pace of Kelce and Kittles.

But without question, the Raiders are getting a bargain in Waller relative to his peers.

And while he is developing into a productive blocker, Waller’s greatest value is as a playmaker. Based on his usage against the Jets in helping the Raiders snap a two-game losing streak, his role could be on the verge of expanding.

Carr targeted Waller a season-high 17 times on Sunday, just two less than Waller’s combined targets in the previous three games when the Raiders went 1-2. With four games left in the season and the 7-5 Raiders needing to win out to guarantee a playoff spot, expect the dynamic playmaker’s action to increase.

Waller is up to 8.9 targets per game after finishing last year averaging 7.3 targets per game. His 77 catches for 742 yards this year put him on target to surpass the 90 catches he had last year.

Although by averaging 61.8 yards per game receiving this year compared to 71.6 last season, it might be difficult to push his 742 yards receiving this year higher than the 1,145 yards he accumulated in 2019.

Not that the Raiders won’t try, knowing how valuable he is to the offense.

“We’re looking to get Waller the ball as many times as possible because he’s a great player,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said.

Especially if opposing defenses foolishly defend Waller the way the Jets did. Former New York defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was fired less than 24 hours after Sunday’s game, dialed up an extraordinarily high number of blitzes (40) trying to get heat on Carr. In doing so, it put pressure on the non-blitzers to match up with Raiders receivers in single man coverage.

“So you try to go to your top dog,” Gruden said. “And that’s what we did on several of those occasions.”

Carr wasn’t exactly shocked at the Jets’ defensive approach, but he was certainly thankful, given the chemistry he’s built with Waller and the confidence he has in him consistently winning those one-on-one battles. At that point, it’s just about making the throw rather than waiting and hoping Waller gets open.

“You can play more confidently,” Carr said. “It’s not hesitant, ‘Oh, did he win?’ Now I throw it. I’m cutting it loose before he breaks. I know where he’s going to break before he even does it, so I can throw it earlier, which is a good thing because he’ll have more separation if I can throw it to him earlier.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.