David Walker Overhype Continues
July 17th, 2025
Bucs edge rusher David Walker, the Central Arkansas rookie.
Way too many people are placing far too much importance on fourth-round pick rookie David Walker emerging as a stud Bucs pass rush threat this season.
Joe hopes that happens, but damn, Joe has no problem declaring now that the Bucs can win playoff games even if Walker is a bust who never sees the field.
Still, the hype train for Walker is nearly off the rails. Speaking today during The Rondé Barber Show on WFLA-TV streaming platforms, the legendary Bucs cornerback said one of his three biggest X-factors for the success of the Bucs’ defense this season is the play of Walker.
Whaaaaat?
Antoine Winfield staying healthy and the overall play of Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum, per Barber, are the other two X-factors for a strong Bucs defense in 2025.
Joe doesn’t know where to begin, other than to say SirVocea Dennis staying healthy is far more critical than Walker stepping up in his part-time role, and Joe is much more interested in Haason Reddick’s play and the health of Calijah Kancey.
How sweet would it be to see a healthy Kancey in September for a change? His play could really help offset Tristan Wirfs’ likely absence. Kancey is a true playmaker, Joe believes, and him playing 17 games could help the Bucs get a No. 2 seed.
Joe also wonders why Bucs insider Barber, a close friend of Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht, routinely ignores the existence of Chris Braswell, last year’s second-round pick edge rusher.
During Licht’s last visit to The Ira Kaufman Podcast, he said the following of his stable of edge rushers:
“I will say that I am excited about YaYa [Diaby],” Licht said. “I think YaYa quietly was one of the better edge players in terms of his pressures and hurries. And I know that you don’t like to hear that; you want to hear sack production. But I think he was just almost there and he’s going to get there next year. I’m really excited about [Chris] Braswell for his second year. I think he’s going to shock a lot of people, just knowing the kind of person he is and the talent that he has. We’ll look at all avenues for edge rush. We do need some depth there. We do need some help.”
And those comments came before the Bucs signed Reddick and re-signed quality backup Anthony Nelson in March. Walker was a bonus edge rusher arriving a month later in the draft.
Joe is pulling for Walker, a great story as a 25-year-old rookie out of the University of Central Arkasas, but it’s borderline ludicrous to call him a major key to this season’s defensive success.
Give the young man some slack. And how much impact will Walker really be able to make if Braswell is shocking fans, as Licht said, and if Reddick isn’t a bust?
July 17th, 2025 at 1:35 pm
I don’t care who the breakout players are as long as the overall defense shows dramatic improvement. Hopefully, the injury bug will be a little more under control this year and our backups will be more talented.
July 17th, 2025 at 1:52 pm
Nope not too much hype, this is a guy we drafted with no intentions of starting this year, but he has the talent imo to force his way onto the field.
People can be excited for potential y’know, especially coming from a guy in a position to where he’s just depth.
Reddick splits after this season, we won’t have to scramble. “Overhype” for an FCS player? Como?
July 17th, 2025 at 1:53 pm
I hope David Walker and Hassan Reddick gets the job done. We know Yaya brings a lot of pressures but few sacks. I wasn’t impressed with the others. I think Walker will outperform them in Training Camp..
July 17th, 2025 at 2:09 pm
I’ll be glad when overhype season is over.
July 17th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
Bowles has SO MANY combinations to try with the frontline and the LB. Inevitably something has to work.
UNFORTUNATELY, Bowles has a penchant for sticking with guys he likes over guys that produce for a little too long … ie. Ryan Neal.
I’m excited to see ELIJAH ROBERTS … better college, better stats (17.5 sacks in the last two years), and better combine than Logan Hall. Mario Crystoball notoriously coaches his guys to underperform. ER might be good.
July 17th, 2025 at 2:17 pm
Agreed Joe.
Walker being great right away would obviously be a welcome bonus but the secondary stepping up, the LBs staying healthy and protecting the middle of the field for a change are much more important.
Walker could not play and Bucs could still be a SB team. Reddick, Diaby, Braswell and Nelson hopefully stay healthy and play well.
July 17th, 2025 at 2:19 pm
so it seems the throwback unis are going to be worn for a multitude of games this upcoming season…?
– jets (home)
– seahawks (road)
– falcons (home)
this is wild……but i like it
hopefully they don’t forget to rock the all pewter in the 2nd half of the season at some point as well
July 17th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
Boy what a wonderful thing it would be for this team if this guy lives up to the hype. Reddick, him, Ya Ya and Chancey should get pressure with just 4 guys. If the Putrid Pass Defense can improve and get off the field on 3rd down this team has no limits. The Offense is Top 5 and is loaded for bear. Go Bucs!!
July 17th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things”…Red
July 17th, 2025 at 2:26 pm
Walker will be the next Robert Mathis watch!
July 17th, 2025 at 2:33 pm
if he’s the next robert mathis, with what what we have up front already, then we are legit loaded
July 17th, 2025 at 3:26 pm
Last season we got 24 sacks from our Interior Defensive Line
We got 12 sacks from our Edge Rushers
12 sacks from a 4-5 man rotation that’s pathetic
I can see why so many people are excited about David Walker and Hassan Reddick. There’s no possible way they can do worst than the rotation did last season.
July 17th, 2025 at 3:40 pm
“Joe also wonders why Bucs insider Barber, a close friend of Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht, routinely ignores the existence of Chris Braswell, last year’s second-round pick edge rusher”…One of the Joe’s
I can tell you, Joe. That is because we have an example right here- -last couple of years. JTS, early pick, never did anything, predicting this was his year, and then quietly letting him go after 4 (?) years of taking up room on the roster. It would not be outlandish to think an endorsement by Licht for an edge rusher is a kiss of death to anyone that gets it. That’s why!
July 17th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
Overhype, no. Excited about what he can do, looking at his film and his pass rush skills, as it appears we got a steal? Yup. He only dropped because he doesn’t have the prototypical size for OLB.
Nobody’s even calling him a starter, but there’s a role for him. Eventual starter.
July 17th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
FA
As usual I appreciate you bringing some balance to our gathering spot.
I’m well aware that hyperbole is a big ingredient in sports coverage they don’t call us fans for nothin’. But at some point it’s growing tiresome.
July 17th, 2025 at 4:51 pm
If nothing else, I’m super impressed with the violence David Walker brings to the team. Sort of what we were missing before we brought in Jordan Whitehead, Vita, n Suh leading up to the Super Bowl. We need to get back to those type players n stop wishing on a star n banking on potential with players such as JTS, JDeans, OJHoward, Trey Palmer. It’s not rocket science, let At Palmer n JDean go n replace with Tez Johnson, Rakim Jarrett n Byce Hall, rookies Morrison n Parrish.
July 17th, 2025 at 4:54 pm
I think Walker is going to be a first ballot HOfer.
Did I win the hype game?
July 17th, 2025 at 5:37 pm
I find it interesting that we have all these questions about the defense and practically none with the offense.
Winfield, SVD, Kancy, Dean health….Walker, Reddick, Braswell performance……
We sure have some defensive depth now, at least.
July 17th, 2025 at 7:06 pm
Joe: “How sweet would it be to have a healthy Kancey in September”
I agree, I think that can set the table for the whole season. I believe we now have real talent to rotate in and keep guys fresh and have the young guys learn. I am most anxious to see what Roberts can do. He and Walker seem to be like 2 peas in a pod, I just get that feeling, in a good way. They can be mini Sapp & Brooks, LOL
July 17th, 2025 at 7:07 pm
Forgive me it’s the Blanton’s speaking
July 17th, 2025 at 7:36 pm
Well, I think Todd will figure it out real quick.
July 17th, 2025 at 7:52 pm
“I can see why so many people are excited about David Walker and Hassan Reddick. There’s no possible way they can do worst than the rotation did last season.“
That’s all I’m saying. If we can take bets that Dean will lose his job to a rookie, it’s not outside the realm of possibility to think Walker can see the field.
Same goes for Isiah Roberts, who I dream of seeing lined up on the same side as Nelly at some point this preseason.
The only hype I’m on is I’ll take anybody who makes this defense better. Don’t care who it is, but it’d be even cooler it included a longshot like Walker. I’d rather see him show us he’s ready over having to hope he’s ready.
July 17th, 2025 at 8:22 pm
TBBF
Perhaps echoing a form of your thoughts. It occurred to me in the past few years we’ve all been wondering how to find somebody to fill spots.
Now we’re talking about so many stars on offense who will get the touches as well as on D talking about which young players are going to get an opportunity as in number of snaps.
Those are nice problems to have.
July 17th, 2025 at 9:04 pm
Two new corners should help too
July 17th, 2025 at 9:29 pm
Joes,
Thanks for being measured about Walker. This year is about what Braswell can contribute. Hopefully he is past the rookie learning curve. Let’s get him on the field for 80% of defensive plays. By game 10 we will know if he is a keeper. Like his pedigree.
July 17th, 2025 at 10:16 pm
One thing I’ve noticed is that he has a real good “hump” move. Like Reggie White — comparing the move, not the player. Gets his shoulder in and under the center of mass and throws the OL up and out.
He’s overage, so his strength may have already leveled up. And it’s unclear — doubtful — it would work on grown assed men. But some of the tape shows moves against lower competition that you just don’t see.
July 17th, 2025 at 10:19 pm
Joe isn’t anti-Walker whatsoever. But rookie edge rushers rarely make an impact. That is partly why Joe hasn’t killed Chris Braswell. Yeah, he was a rookie. Yeah, Joe gets he didn’t play that much (maybe there was a reason)? But dang, 1 1/2 sacks, even for a rookie drafted in the second round, is damn poor.
And his sack came against a backup scrub at the end of a blowout win.
July 17th, 2025 at 11:03 pm
We will know pretty quickly if the Defense is going to be improved in game one and especially after halftime adjustments of the first few games. After that it will be a week to week grind. A long season. I am very optimistic. I look forward to season.
July 18th, 2025 at 2:40 am
It’s clear. He’s that Jack of all trades guy Todd loves. Drop into wide coverage, drop into deep coverage, drop into shallow middle zones, shadow an OG who might be eligible, cover the hot dog vendor in the south end zone. He can do it all. A Todd fave.
July 18th, 2025 at 4:58 am
Seems to me that everyone is ignoring Braswell, except Licht.
Ronde has a point but we have yet to start camp and as always hope is at a season high. No doubt that Walker impressed the last time he was wearing pads though.
Go Bucs!
July 18th, 2025 at 8:52 am
What happened to all the Todd Bowles haters. See, we spent some money and picks on the defensive side of the ball and the defense comes together much faster than the offense.
Mark my words, this will be a top 5 defense by the end of the season.
July 18th, 2025 at 10:30 am
Yaya and Reddick are going to get 80-90% of the snaps. So, whatever Walker does, he’s going to have to do it in a very limited amount of snaps.
Let’s be real, he’s not going to beat out either Diaby or Reddick for more playing time than sub’s reps.
July 18th, 2025 at 10:44 am
It is good to cheer for our favorite team or players , we all enjoy doing so, but before you bet your farm, beware of irrational exuberance, which is a tendency of humans to process information in a biased manner often leading to suboptimal reasoning characterized by behavior that is energetic , excited, and cheerful,( sometimes even anger filled), but not based on logical reasoning or sound judgment. Humans really are not as logical as We think We are, after all, the big beautiful casinos in Las Vegas were financed and built by exploiting this human irrational exuberance as are lotteries, and sports betting sites , there would not be so many of them if they were not getting rich on our money.