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.