Tampa Bay loses rookie OLB for the season.
Injuries are part of the game. But some are of a different magnitude than others.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers face a challenging start to their 2025 season as rookie linebacker David Walker has been sidelined for the year with a torn ACL, sustained during Friday’s training camp practice. The fourth-round pick from Central Arkansas, who earned the Buck Buchanan Award for his standout FCS performance (23 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks in 2024), was poised to bolster the Bucs’ pass rush behind starters Haason Reddick and Yaya Diaby.
Head coach Todd Bowles called it a “redshirt year” for the promising 25-year-old, who had impressed in rookie minicamp.
“He was making a big impact early. Obviously, we were counting on him to do a lot of things,” Bowles said. “We’ve got other guys that have to step up. I told him he has to look at this as a redshirt year. It’s unfortunate. It didn’t look like it was too much on film, but it ended up being that.”
Meanwhile, tight end Cade Otton, a key offensive contributor with career-highs of 59 receptions and 600 yards in 2024, is nursing a minor hamstring tweak. Bowles noted the team is taking a cautious approach with Otton, who sat out Monday’s practice but is expected to return soon, avoiding a more serious injury.