It sounds like David Walker’s return to the football field is trending in the right direction after his awful knee injury
David Walker tore his ACL during the third training camp practice of the 2025 offseason. His latest injury update places his recovery in a promising direction as the Buccaneers get closer to OTAs.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need help in the pass rush department and naturally, many are looking toward the upcoming draft for said assistance.
There’s already one player on the roster, however, that can help reignite the pass rush in 2026, as long as he’s healthy: David Walker.
The only issue is Walker tore his ACL during last year’s training camp and has been recovering since. The latest update came via an April 7 interview with Pewter Report where Walker discussed the possibility of participating in OTAs and beyond. That came after Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said the expectation was for Walker to be ready to go for training camp.
His availability for OTAs, however, remained unknown.
“The trajectory we’re heading on right now, I really don’t know,” Walker said. “It’s up to the trainers, how good they feel, the confidence they have in my knee and the confidence I have ultimately. I’m hoping to be ready for mini-camp, but either [mini-camp] or [training camp]. We’re doing the cutting, the running, it’s been good.”
david walker
Interview via Pewter Report's Matt Matera
A source has informed A to Z Sports that people within the Buccaneers’ building feel “hopeful” about Walker’s participation in OTAs. It stems from what they’ve seen during his rehab process and there’s a belief he could be a full go for OTAs. From there, it’d be a slow buildup to training camp.
If it plays out like the Buccaneers believe, the pass rush depth suddenly looks a lot better on paper.
How does this play into the Buccaneers’ draft plans at EDGE?
Personally speaking, I don’t think it should affect their plans, at all. EDGE remains a top priority heading into the draft, as the Buccaneers need to find a true, No. 1 option for both the short- and long-term.
Walker has all the potential in the world and the past production to match it. At the same time, we have no idea what he’ll look like during the first year of his recovery and while he has the aforementioned potential and production – he still has to prove it’ll carry over to the NFL level.
Remember, he’s yet to even play in a preseason game. The Buccaneers should remain aggressive when it comes to landing a pass rusher early in the draft, even if David Walker’s injury update is as encouraging as it is.