The Ravens’ misfortunes at the tight end position continued Friday.
Darren Waller was suspended for the 2017 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, according to NFL.com.
This is Waller’s second substance-abuse suspension. He also sat out the first four games of last season.
The Ravens were set at tight end last season when Dennis Pitta overcame a history of hip injuries to catch a career-high 86 passes, but the Ravens released Pitta after he re-injured his hip at organized team activities.
The 6’7″ Waller was taken as a wide receiver in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. He moved to tight end and caught 12 passes in two seasons, including 10 last year with two touchdowns. Crockett Gilmore and Benjamin Watson are ahead of Waller on the tight end depth chart. Then again, those guys both have their health concerns, and there’s a certain amount of intrigue that surrounds any 6’7″ pass catcher.
The 24-year-old Waller was inconsistent during offseason workouts. He’s still a work in progress. Now, that progress will have to wait at least a year.
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