Raiders’ Derek Carr ‘roots for Darren Waller’ after drug problem

Darren Waller had seven catches for 70 yards in his first game as the Raiders starting tight end on Monday night against the Broncos.

A far more important stat is the two years he has been clean and sober.

The 26-year-old battled a drug problem that led to two NFL suspensions, including for the entire 2017 season when he was a member of the Ravens.

His story was documented during training camp on “Hard Knocks.”

“I was in Baltimore and I was just like a vegetable,” Waller said on the show. “I was getting high, literally, every day. Whatever I could get my hands on. Like opiates first, like oxy pills, stuff like that. Xanax, cocaine. Not caring about anything, any kind of consequences, or anything like that.”

Waller eventually got clean and the Raiders expect this to be a breakout season for the converted wide receiver.

Quarterback Derek Carr hopes Waller’s story can replace the never-ending Antonio Brown narrative in dominating the discussion about the Raiders offense.

He believes Waller can not only be a star, but an inspiration.

“I think we all in here, everybody, roots for Darren Waller,” Carr said this week. “When I sat in my house and watched his story on ‘Hard Knocks,’ I sat there with tears in my eyes because I was like, ‘Do you know how many people that helps for him to be that vulnerable. That’s unbelievable. That blesses my life.

“To know that story and then to watch this man come on Monday Night Football and make all those crazy plays, you have to root for that guy.”

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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.