Anthony Nelson: David Walker Has The Skills (In Underwear Football)
June 18th, 2025
Veteran teammate wants to see David Walker in pads.
Now Joe has no expectations for what rookie outside linebacker David Walker does this year.
We all know how crazy the Bucs’ front office and defensive coaching staff are for Walker, a fourth-round pick out of Central Arkansas.
Still, not often do rookie edge rushers do much if anything when they first get to the NFL. Especially third-day draft picks.
For every Maxx Crosby or Joey Bosa, there are dozens of rookie edge rushers who barely make a dent on game days. But Joe would hope Walker has more of an impact than what last year’s second-round pick Chris Braswell had: 1.5 more sacks than you and Joe in 2024.
Joe spoke with one of Walker’s veteran outside linebacker teammates last week, Anthony Nelson. He knows all too well how outside linebackers are limited by the choke collar of underwear football.
Nelson did tell Joe that Walker has shown enough to pique his interest when the pads come on next month at training camp.
“I think the first thing that jumps out is kind of how smart he is,” Nelson said of Walker. “His intuition of the game, that type stuff [is solid].
“He’s able to pick up the playbook, understand what people are trying to do to him.”
So that’s a good sign that Walker has a solid head on his shoulders. But what about physical traits?
“You know, he’s he’s got a lot of moves,” Nelson said. “It’s kind of exciting to see. He’s definitely got the skill.
“I’m excited to see him go in [training camp].”
Joe is excited to see anyone that shows a disposition to put an quarterback on his arse.
The Bucs last year got good pressure up the middle with Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea. Hell, even Logan Hall. And supposedly, nothing freaks out quarterbacks and entraps them quite like pressure up the middle.
But the Bucs stunk so badly with an edge rush, pressure up the middle didn’t matter much. Just friggin’ sad, man.
June 18th, 2025 at 7:32 am
Seems like edge rushers have the same hit/miss rate as 1st round QB’s
June 18th, 2025 at 7:37 am
I still think we need to sign JPP and Barrett to teach these boys how to fight!
And practice!
JPP at DE/DT.
And Barrett as an OLB/mentor.
Even if they are inactive on game days, or only on the practice squad,
I think our young team could use some solid leaders like JPP at DE and Barrett at OLB.
June 18th, 2025 at 7:51 am
Joe … ‘But the Bucs stunk so badly with an edge rush, it didn’t matter about pressure up the middle. Just friggin’ sad, man.’
You being too negative Joe. Pressure up the middle DOES MATTER, big time, because it can force the QB to move, and oftentimes move quickly. Our OLBs last season were quite young as a group, and I don’t think they’re necessarily sack-masters at this point in their careers. But our new addition, Reddick, is and he should be able to do reasonably well given solid inside pressure. And hopefully the others (Diaby, Braswell, Walker) can learn from him and up their game.
Last season we ended up with 46 sacks but only 175 pressures. I know that pressures don’t mean a hill of beans in your book Joe, but they seem to have some correlation to our season W-L record during Todd Bowles’ time here. For instance …
o 2019: 47 sacks – 186 pressures … 7-9 record
o 2020: 48 sacks – 193 pressures … 11-5 record
o 2021: 47 sacks – 224 pressures … 13-4 record
o 2022: 44 sacks – 144 pressures … 8-9 record
o 2023: 47 sacks – 136 pressures … 9-8 record
o 2024: 46 sacks – 175 pressures … 10-7 record
During Todd’s first 3 years here (as DC only), Bucs best record (13-4) came in 2021 when we had 224 pressures (significantly more than in 2019 & 2020). Yet sacks stayed about the same. During Todd’s next 3 years here (as HC & DC), our best record (10-7) came in 2024 when we had 175 pressures (significantly more than in 2022 & 2023).
June 18th, 2025 at 8:01 am
DR…
Of course how good the offense was came into play. In 2019 we had a decent amount of pressures but a 7-9 record.
That’s what a QB who leads the league in turnovers (and by a pretty large margin) will do for you.
In 2022, with Brady having all the off field distractions and our interior offensive line in shambles, the defensive front didn’t do us any favors either
June 18th, 2025 at 8:10 am
I’ve been talking about how pressure is just as important as sacks. If Kancy starts and stays in from the first game onward I see our pressure go up. Pressure makes the QB uncomfortable, moves him off his mark, scramble into a sack {possibly} or TFL/short gain, throw it away or a pick. If the QB doesn’t know where pressure is coming from, and Bowles is good at changing that, that just leads to a beatdown by our D, that’s what we USED to do. Granted one needs to finish some pressures with sacks but that constant pressure helps the D.
June 18th, 2025 at 9:03 am
DR, I don’t think Joe was trying to be so analytical when he said that. We have had quite a a few sacks over the past few years, but we blitz too much. The QBs tend to just scoot to where the blitz isn’t. A better edge rush just means we don’t have to blitz all day.
June 18th, 2025 at 9:09 am
Ballwasher, yeah, a healthy Kancey would be a huge help.
June 18th, 2025 at 9:39 am
I’m super optimistic about this defense. I hope it doesn’t bite me in the arse.
June 18th, 2025 at 9:57 am
IMO – Nelson’s comments speak loudly to Braswell not understanding the playbook and what defenses were trying to do to him. Walker seems to have more moves already in comparison. Hoping Braswell is now comfortable with the playbook and can play fast. Also hope he learns moves from Reddick. If so, Braswell might actually “shock” some people.
June 18th, 2025 at 10:32 am
Braswell = JTS II. Simple as that. Give the reps to Walker.
June 18th, 2025 at 10:46 am
When we drafted Walker our front office chose violence. That’s what Walkers’ film screams out to me, and the kicker is we don’t need him right away. So he can keep developing behind the scenes, while also taking on the role of a chess piece we don’t have to move until we want to which will essentially come. Same can be said for Elijah Roberts who I think has enough juice to push Logan Hall for a share of playing time.
June 18th, 2025 at 12:05 pm
If Vita goes down we in trouble.
If Big Gator makes the team, that could help.
June 18th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
He missed mini camp with a hammy strain. Let’s hope he doesn’t turn out like Kancey. Big hype, but hammered by injuries early in the season. I’m hoping Kancey can prove he can go wire to wire, hasn’t done that yet. These guys can play, can they stay on the field?