Getty Tracy Walker celebrates a big play for the Lions defense in 2021.
The Detroit Lions are pushing toward the 2021 NFL Trade deadline, and have some major possibilities as it relates to things they could do to shake up their roster.
Obviously, the Lions could make an addition, as many expect they might do at wideout. They could also find a way to subtract a piece or two for draft compensation, and many have been gearing up for the team to do just that when the deadline rolls around in a few weeks time.
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One of the options the team has is to deal players away from their defense from a position of strength, and that’s just what many see them doing with safety Tracy Walker potentially. Recently, Bleacher Report and writer Brent Sobleski speculated that Walker could be a fit for a trade elsewhere in the league and picked the Indianapolis Colts as his perfect destination.
As for why, Sobleski said that the team is weak at the safety position and could turn to a player like Walker to fill a major hole as a result. Detroit could look to deal Walker because of his status as a 2022 free agent, meaning the team could cash in a draft selection for him ahead of time.
Lions 2021 Trade Deadline Outlook
While many believe the Lions could look to add a wideout, the team could be more poised to make a few key deals such as this one in order to gain more draft picks for 2021. Detroit already figures to be in play for the top overall selection, and if they were able to add more, it could go a long way toward their rebuild. In terms of players who could be placed on the block, Trey Flowers is quite possibly the best choice given age and the possibility that the team is ready to move on from him in the defense. That could be especially true if a middle-round selection is offered up. The same could be said for Charles Harris.
Others have speculated that the Lions should potentially look to deal Taylor Decker given the fact they have Penei Sewell playing a decent role for the team’s offensive line. The Lions, though, might prefer to have a stronger offensive line and keep both players in the mix. For the most part, Detroit’s roster is young, which means their best chance for a dealing a player could very well come in the form of putting Flowers or Harris on the block this month. Walker could be in that same mix thanks to his age.
Walker Praised by Dan Campbell for 2021 Play
Speaking with the media on Monday, October 11, Campbell was asked about Walker, and provided a good answer about where he sees his development. As he said, the effort in Week 5 against Minnesota was what the Lions have been hoping for out of Walker, and the play showed signs of being amongst the best at his position.
“That’s the Tracy we know and have been waiting to come out of his shell. I’ll tell you what, he played confident, he played physical, he communicated well and it was great to see. Because he did, he played like a top-notch safety (Sunday). He was a factor and you felt his presence,” Campbell said at the time.
Walker put up decent numbers the last few seasons, racking up 103 tackles in 2019 and 87 in 2020, but his evolution into a more complete player could leave him ready to put together his best season in 2021 regardless of what the statistics show. Thus far in his career, Walker has put up 249 total tackles, 2 sacks and 2 interceptions.
Whether that production appeals to someone else remains to be seen, but it’s clear Walker could move on from the Lions if the team gets blown away by an offer next week.
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