David Walker Speaks
May 26th, 2026
Rare interview.
Joe really, really, really hopes David Walker blows up. But Joe has zero idea if that will happen and sure would like to see Walker in at least a second padded practice before making any sort of grandiose pronouncement.
Joe is not being mean, but nobody knows if Walker will become the next Simeon Rice or the next Markees Watts.
Two years ago, Bucs types said the Weekday Warriors, edge rushers José Martinez and Watts, tore up the Bucs’ first-team offense in closed practices. Both gave Tristan Wirfs fits, Joe heard.
Now, Watts just signed with Todd Monken’s Browns. Ramirez is with the Eagles after spending a season in the CFL.
Then there was the hype around 2024 second-round pick Chris Braswell. Joe doesn’t need to explain how that has gone.
A shortish pass-rushing demon from Division I-AA Central Arkansas, Walker had the worst luck last summer when near the end of the first Bucs’ padded practice, he blew out his ACL. The rookie fourth-round pick was done.
The Bucs have hyped Walker up this offseason, so much so that while appearing on “Wake Up Barstool” earlier this month, seen weekday mornings on FS1, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht had to be asked to rein in the Walker chatter because a national television audience likely isn’t very interested.
Well, now we have heard from Walker.
He sat down with Casey Phillips of Buccaneers.com to chat football. Most of the interview was about Walker the person, not the football player. Walker is a religious guy and he said his injury was likely The Lord telling him that football can be taken away in a snap so he should prepare for a non-football life, just in case.
“It was tough,” Walker said of his injury. “I knew right away. ‘Aw, I tore my ACL.’ God had a plan. [Football] is not to be taken for granted.”
Walker tried to use his time away from the football field to make himself as prepared as possible. KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles told Walker to take last season as a redshirt year and get himself right both physically and mentally, and bury himself in film study.
Walker told Phillips he’s confident he can hang with NFL offensive linemen.
The Bucs told Walker they liked, “How I played the game. About my pass rush and how relentless I am,” Walker said. “I think my effort is a big [example] of who I am. I am not your prototype 6-4 guy, but I can do the things they can do. Just at a smaller level.”
David is 6-1, 263, at least he was when he was drafted. That’s smallish for an edge rusher, so too was Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett, who was 6-2, 250.
Also interesting is that the little Walker was able to hit in Bucs practice, he and Luke Goedeke had a run-in. Goedeke’s reaction convinced Walker he can hang.
“I would say my welcome to the NFL moment was when I pushed Luke Goedeke, trying to get off the block,” Walker said. “And he came from behind and shoved me and pushed me to the ground. And I was like, ‘OK, this is how it is going to be.'”
Walker figured he must have done something right for Goedeke to tee off on him.
Joe is rooting for Walker, make no mistake. Imagine how this Bucs defense could improve if Walker demonstrates the NFL isn’t too big for him and Rueben Bain proves the same.
Also, Walker confessed he can do backflips. He promised that if he is able to get a pick-six, he will do a backflip in the end zone.
May 26th, 2026 at 9:06 am
Hope is a four letter word… But I sure do hope…
May 26th, 2026 at 9:11 am
Yes agree no more talk about Walker. Like Bain a lot of talk about nothing. This guy has not even played in pads yet and effectively is a rookie. I mean yes let’s hope he is close to the next Shaq Barrett. However again at this position players usually need a few years to develop. Let him put on the pads and let the story unfold please. Until then all is simply hot air on a summer day.
May 26th, 2026 at 9:13 am
Who?
Yeah I watched the YouTube Bucs channel interview last night.
Nothing yet.
The guy’s tape is against players who never got a sniff from the NFL.
I wish him well… but
May 26th, 2026 at 9:15 am
If Walker can elevate his college game to the pro level, he’ll be a force to reckon with.
Looking at his college tape, he hit like a freight train.
Time will tell, and hopefully the ACL is all healed up.
May 26th, 2026 at 9:18 am
A plan?
I won’t go off here except to say that some unmentionably horrible things happen to good people, and especially children, that I sincerely hope are not part of some master plan.
Sometimes things just happen, both good and bad.
And I hope David Walker happens to be a good football player.
May 26th, 2026 at 9:48 am
I’ve come to believe that football isn’t nearly as difficult as many of us grew up believing it was. It’s more about winning the ‘one-on-one’ that’s right in front of you. IF a player does that, good things will happen. IF NOT, he’ll most likely end up being irrelevant to the play.
Got tickled by Walker’s run-in with Goedeke. Luke won the one-on-one there, and David ended up on the ground … irrelevant to the play. Still confused by Walker’s comment that “Walker figured he must have done something right for Goedeke to tee off on him.” He ended up on the friggin ground; how is that ‘doing something right’?
May 26th, 2026 at 10:02 am
i think walker was stating that Luke plays to the echo of the whistle and thats how it’ll be in the NFL….
any who, really rooting for the kid…i think he’ll surprise some folks…i’ll say he’ll have 5 sacks this year lol….which is great if you ask me lol
GO BUCS!!!!
May 26th, 2026 at 10:04 am
Joe ain’t buying the hype, Joe ain’t no fool. Braswell and JTS are the latest on the Bucs throwaways heap. Will need to see Walker perform in NFL action week in week out. Glad Goedeke put him on the ground cause he needs that moment, they all need that moment.
May 26th, 2026 at 10:15 am
@DR, Walker claims he was pushed from behind. If true and it happened in a game…and the biggest if of all…if the refs were actually watching and were not on the take, that would be a 15 yard penalty. But then of course, the reason refs carry yellow flags is because the dogs are blind too.
May 26th, 2026 at 11:08 am
No, Walker said he was pushed from behind by Goedeke after Walker pushed him first trying to get off a block. Basically showing Goedeke didn’t like what Walker did. Whether it was showing him up a bit or it was something dirty, I like it either way!
So maybe Walker is doing something right. I’m rooting for the kid big time.
May 26th, 2026 at 11:16 am
I listened to this segment by Casey and thought Walker said (paraphrasing) he had bull-rushed Luke back almost to the QB and Luke took offense to being dominated on the rep, so a pushing match ensued.
May 26th, 2026 at 11:19 am
Walker seemed to be the first real attempt to draft an edge guy that was productive but didn’t fit the mold. Jts and braswell have better measurables, but neither was overly productive in college. With Walker, and now with Bain we are drafting productive guys with the hope that their productivity will carry over. Fingers crossed.
May 26th, 2026 at 11:40 am
David Walker.
I hope he truly turns things around. He looks lighter to me.
Still, it’s all on his shoulders at this point. He may turn out to be great, but he’ll have to prove it.
May 26th, 2026 at 11:45 am
It would be great if he were healthy and half the player Licht hypes him up to be. I wonder why they don’t give Braswell a shot at MLB. It’s not that big of a transition. We’ll see, but I won’t spend another dollar on anything Buccaneers until that HC dude proves he can go a season without a long losing streak.
May 26th, 2026 at 11:49 am
I heard Walker and Kancey have name plates on their destignated bench seats.
May 26th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
If Walker can turn out to be a rotational guy, spelling Bain and YaYa, and in doing so can get some pressure on the QB and the occasional sack, then it would be a win for the Bucs.
The key to the Buc defense this year is Kancey staying healthy and the “new” guys in Bain, Walker and Muhammad being upgrades to Reddick (2.5 sacks), Braswell (1 sack), Nelson (3 sacks). I think Bain alone will much that production with 6+ sacks. Add Walker and Muhammad and the upgrade could be huge.
Better coverage from the Lbers will help as well. LVD and SVD simple could not cover at ALL. Immobile QBs like Cousins were able to take 3 step drops and hit TES and RBS with ease. That needs to change and I think it will.
May 26th, 2026 at 12:08 pm
Idk how someone can blow up when they’re going to be sitting on the bench for 90% of the defensive snaps while Yaya and Bain are in the game, but yeah I too hope Walker is good in his very limited amount of playing time.
May 26th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
Erik. I would like to think that if Walker was good enough, if he kicked butt convincingly, that he could earn the most snaps. You know, competition and all. I still say that if you’re good enough you will quickly find playing time, and that should include some rookies. If a dog will bite, it’ll bite as a pup- at least I’m hoping so.
May 26th, 2026 at 12:27 pm
Like I said before when you ran the last article on walker-
When he gets more sacks than Brasswell let us know.
Until then let’s not keep saying his name. He’s just a guy until he actually plays a real game and makes plays.
May 26th, 2026 at 12:35 pm
Anybody doubting his ability to play at a higher level should watch his tape at the senior bowl. He dominated at the practices and it carried over to the game. I get that people are tired of all the hype and are ready to see results. This guy is the real deal. Fans should be excited to see him this year.
May 26th, 2026 at 12:51 pm
I cant believe how many guys performed in college, senior bowl, combine, training camp, etc. and were never a factor come game time. Hype does nothing for an organization. Sadly, the hype road is all that gets traveled lately.
May 26th, 2026 at 1:08 pm
I’ll do a backflip when Bowles is fired. Figuratively, not literally.
May 26th, 2026 at 2:46 pm
6-1 can also be an advantage for an EDGE player.
They can get much lower than à 6-5 OT.
Aaron Donald was short. Sapp was short. Barrett was short.
You know what’s more important?
Lower body strength, bend, and toughness.
Bain and David Walker are going to be a nasty 1-2 punch.
They are going to wear down offensive tackles.
Mohammed will then clean up in the 4th quarter.
That’s how I would coach it.
Tell Walker Ànd Bain to go all out for the first 3 quarters.
Save Mohammed for the 4th quarter.
May 26th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
I would hope God had better things to do than plan Walkers ACL injury, and recovery.
May 26th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
Is the bench in the tub?
May 26th, 2026 at 3:24 pm
I don’t wanna hear about any edge rusher that “Has all the tools and is wreaking havoc and practice, etc.“
Been hearing it since Simeon. We only saw it briefly with Shaq and JPP. Yaya is great, but he is 5 to 7 sacks short each from being fantastic.
Everyone else, including Bain is a question.
We will believe it when we see it
May 26th, 2026 at 3:32 pm
With this team, every drafted player is OVER HYPED!!!!! SEEING IS BELIEVING!!!
Kid, if you got it. Show the NFL!!! If you don’t, work on that other career.
May 26th, 2026 at 3:33 pm
Stanglass: we don’t have to doubt his abilities. LOTS of players get drafted with abilities every year. This is way too much run for a guy who couldn’t make it through a few practices. No preseason snaps, no regular season snaps. I mean, I once bumped into Luke Goedeke too. Doesn’t mean I’m a starting NFL lineman who’s “win a superbowl “ … their words, not mine.
May 26th, 2026 at 9:48 pm
LynchMob50 Says:
May 26th, 2026 at 1:08 pm
I’ll do a backflip when Bowles is fired. Figuratively, not literally.
Maybe you can pull your head out of Bowles Ass cheeks as well literally
You are obsessed with Bowles . Very unhealthy dude
May 26th, 2026 at 10:23 pm
Bain Kancey Vea. Robinson. Diaby
Walker. Nacho. Capehart. Roberts. Mohammad
I would love this 5 man front rotation. The Rams have great concepts, of course the Patriots wrote the book. Every play, every player is either one on one. If they double anyone, someone is unblocked. Vea over the center with no double team? Play the run on the way to the QB.
It really bothers me to hear players call the defense complex. That means they are thinking and not reacting. A coach’s job is to own the complexity and break it down and make it easy for players. Add in the money, entitlement and lack of motivation to be great. When Simeon was coaching Diaby, it was completely lost on Diaby when Simeon told him to attack the OT. Be a threat at full speed. Make the OT commit. I think Bowles prefers a read and react line play. His love of the 3-4 concept and his inability to make it easy for everyone to be sound in their assignments. If i hear another quote, about needing better communication, i swear to friggin……
May 27th, 2026 at 1:21 am
Please, Joe, don’t preface Bowles with “KitKat eating”. I already hold back the spew with every “acdc loving” that precedes licht. Have mercy?