“David Walker Is Popping Right Now”
October 21st, 2026
“Jeff, did you hear the one about the coach who won’t play a hot, high-impact edge rusher?”
Joe sincerely hopes Team Glazer has a membership meeting and all attendees are strapped to a polygraph machine and asked what they think the Buccaneers’ record would be this season if edge rusher David Walker played twice as much.
The Bucs are 1-5 and, typically, the team is one impact play from a victory on Sundays. Meanwhile, their high-impact pass rusher is too often a spectator.
Walker has earned a start and Todd Bowles won’t start him. He’s coming off a two-sack game against Pittsburgh and he made other plays in the game while lining up for about one-third of the defensive snaps.
Reward excellence? Send a message? Joe isn’t expecting that to happen on Sunday.
Walker has been ridiculously productive in less than 100 snaps — in first NFL season on the field.
Former offensive lineman Brian Baldinger has taken notice.
Often, Baldinger’s film breakdowns on X feature too much talking. This one below on Walker is right on point. Baldinger succinctly showcases why Walker is a menace against the pass and the run. “David Walker is popping right now,” Baldinger said.
.@steelers @Buccaneers @dwalkeerr33 David Walker keeps showing up with tools in his arsenal to defeat blocks and affect QB’s. Perhaps more PT?? #BaldysBreakdowns https://t.co/xLGvSX93uA
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 21, 2026
October 21st, 2026 at 11:20 am
Can he play QB? Ours are a big reason we’re 1-5. Walker playing a few snaps more doesn’t solve the fact offensively we can’t score 20. This team has waaay more problems than Walkers snaps count. But keep opining over it Joe.
October 21st, 2026 at 11:20 am
I am going to the game on Sunday in Charlotte, and I am Praying that I see David Walker and Bain destroy the Panthers offense. GO BUCS!
October 21st, 2026 at 11:20 am
MADDENING!
October 21st, 2026 at 11:27 am
“Hodad Says:
October 21st, 2026 at 11:20 am
Can he play QB? Ours are a big reason we’re 1-5. Walker playing a few snaps more doesn’t solve the fact offensively we can’t score 20. This team has waaay more problems than Walkers snaps count. But keep opining over it Joe.”
Walker is a shining/obvious example of the coaching malpractice affecting the entire roster. That’s why they bring it up. Walker is only one but this nonsense is being enforced everywhere.
More and more it’s obvious the issues with this team are coaching and not talent. That’s the takeaway.
October 21st, 2026 at 11:29 am
I’m sure Bowles limiting Walker’s time on the field has to do with his intensity as Bowles recently used as his last excuse why the team is not winning. Bowles acts like a whiney victim, not a leader of men.
October 21st, 2026 at 11:30 am
To continue- the fact that he isn’t getting more PT than a stiff like Diaby is telling…
October 21st, 2026 at 11:36 am
Now all Bucs fans want to see Walker on the field, a couple months ago were tired of hearing about Walkers’ potential and how he was being talked up in the offseason. Now the same fans who wanted to hear less and see more, have seen more and now want to see even more.
October 21st, 2026 at 11:37 am
“Jeff, did you hear the one about the coach who won’t play a hot, high-impact edge rusher?” Hahahaha!! classic!
October 21st, 2026 at 11:53 am
If Walker is popping right now will he see more time on the field instead of the bench. That a question bring asked by Joe Bucks Fan.
If not than why not? Why is Todd Bowles holding him back? So far there’s been no real response by Todd.
October 21st, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Not what Mr. Magoo career loser still in charge
October 21st, 2026 at 12:08 pm
Joe, no matter how many stories you write about this, nothing will change. He will continue to get 30% of the snaps through most of the year. Because Bowles does not value a pass rush. He’s already said it so many times. That’s why he does not look at Walker as the best OLB we have.
October 21st, 2026 at 12:17 pm
It almost feels like Bowles wants to troll us on his way out or something. Pretty sad man
October 21st, 2026 at 12:18 pm
I agree that the problems with this team are primarily coaching and QB play. However, Jose has a point with Walker.
You see this is what I’ve been talking about regarding Bowles. Bowles is a good (occasionally very good) DC with the right head coach. If he was the DC with Arians as his HC, you better believe Bruce would be putting him in.
No one will ever understand Bowles reasoning on this because it makes no sense. Perhaps he was drafted over Bowles objection and this is his passive aggressive way of reasserting control? Who knows.
October 21st, 2026 at 12:19 pm
StormyinFl… correct.
As far as the other side of the ball… I see people saying Jalon and Baker same dink and dunk blah blah.
Geez, you think that might also be coaching? Robinson sucks. We have seen short stretches of Daniels and Baker getting the ball out quick on slants and mesh concepts. Daniels had 2 great series on Sunday shredding Pittsburgh. 13-0 though, gotta put the brakes on and go ball control run and horizontal screen garbage.
Daniels has gotten the benefit of slightly improved line play whether they are finally gelling a bit better in this terrible scheme or they pulled their socks up to help out a UDFA I dunno. Either way Baker should have been in the press box seeing the game from up high and learning from Daniels good drives Sunday, getting the ball out quick where WRs are running good routes. Then he can demand Robinson smarten up and show him the evidence.
Man our coaches suck. Off topic again…. Davante is down. I’d imagine Rams can’t afford him but should trade Godwin over there. Keep losing Todd! Get that high pick for Jeremiah or the top DL.
October 21st, 2026 at 12:32 pm
Coaching malpractice
October 21st, 2026 at 12:46 pm
The usage of David Walker speaks volumes of what Sleepy Todd Bowles is…this guy is simply one of most inept and incompetent HC’s in the NFL.
If this guy cannot see what the average fan can see, just imagine all the small nuanced stuff he just simply can’t see. He is a terrible x’s and o’s coach and and even a worse leader of men.
Him going 3-12 in last 15 games and his overall HC record 62-79 HC record should be enough to get anyone fired. How the heck can he keep his job.
Bowles is in a rare club. In the entire world, there are only 32 positions. Joe, you can’t tell me he is one the best and brightest coaches that should hold one of these positions. He simply is not good enough to be afforded this elite position. There is no way!
Beyond frustrated! Pathetic excuse for a HC!
October 21st, 2026 at 12:49 pm
“Either way Baker should have been in the press box seeing the game from up high and learning from Daniels good drives Sunday, getting the ball out quick where WRs are running good routes”
We’re talking about 123 starts learning from a guy with 3 games started in the NFL? That by itself, speaks volumes.
October 21st, 2026 at 12:58 pm
Out-playing Bain but you know Licht is the smartest guy in the room
October 21st, 2026 at 1:06 pm
not surprised….
bowles didnt ride the “hot hand” with r.white…i dont expect him to do anything different….
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 21st, 2026 at 1:06 pm
He might simply be on a pitch count bc of his previous injury. Wasn’t it a torn ACL? Ngl, he sure passes the eye test. And when Baldy starts giving you praise you’re definitely doing something right.
It seems to me we have all the pieces to switch to a 4-3 with a new coach.
October 21st, 2026 at 1:22 pm
oh, POPPING. I read that wrong.
October 21st, 2026 at 1:56 pm
david moon walker just glides through defenses to the qb…
michael jackson would be proud of him
October 21st, 2026 at 2:12 pm
Licht did a good job picking walker. The problem is that the coaching can’t maximize his potential.
October 21st, 2026 at 2:16 pm
Soon “Wake Up Barstool” is going to have to have him on the show!!!!