Getty Green Bay Packers rookie Quay Walker was ejected for the second time this season.
The Green Bay Packers made plenty of mental mistakes in their Week 18 matchup against the Detroit Lions, but rookie linebacker Quay Walker may have made the biggest mistake of them all in the fourth quarter.
With the Lions driving down the field trailing by three points in the fourth quarter, running back De’Andre Swift went down with an injury that forced the team’s athletic trainers onto the field. While the trainer was tending to the Lions running back, Walker was seen shoving the trainer.
While the play wasn’t initially seen by the officials, Walker was eventually penalized and ejected for shoving the trainer. NFL insider Ari Meirov shared a video of the incident showing the contact that led to the rookie’s ejection.
Immediately following the incident, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was seen yelling at Walker from the sideline, telling him to be smart. Ryan Wood with USA Today confirmed what fans saw on the broadcast from LaFleur.
Can lip read Matt LaFleur easily on the NBC cameras from the sideline.
“Be f—ing smart,” he told Quay Walker. “Be smart.”
Bad time for a dead-ball mistake for the rookie, who was just disqualified.
The ejection forced second-year linebacker Isaiah McDuffie into the starting lineup, and the Lions took a 20-16 lead just a couple of players later after former Packers running back Jamaal Williams was able to punch it in for a go-ahead touchdown. Walker was shown visibly upset leaving the field and heading to the locker room afterwards.
Quay Walker’s reaction walking to the #Packers locker room after getting disqualified for the second time this season. t.co/Tcp9ELmhZu
Walker wasn’t the only player to make a brutal mental mistake for the Packers. Just before halftime, cornerback Rasul Douglas was assessed a 15-yard penalty on a field goal attempt that gave the Lions a much easier kick for three points.
A Roller Coaster Rookie Season for Quay Walker
Although Walker has shown flashes of why the team took him early in the 2022 NFL Draft, the mental mistakes have led to a very tumultuous rookie season for the Packers linebacker.
Walker was part of a dominant Georgia Bulldogs defense that led the program to a national championship last season. While not the most productive defender on the star-studded defense, Walker was an imposing presence in the middle of it at 6’4″ and 240 pounds.
The Packers were impressed with Walker’s size and strength, taking him with the 22nd overall pick in this year’s draft. Statistically, the rookie had looked solid heading into Week 18 with 114 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles.
However, mental mistakes have been a common problem for the Packers rookie. Walker was ejected for a similar incident earlier in the season against the Buffalo Bills for shoving an undressed player on the sideline.
The Packers rookie still has star potential, but he will need to clean up the mental mistakes before he can become a reliable linebacker at the NFL level.
What Will Happen This Offseason?
With the Packers falling 20-16 to the Lions, the team will miss the playoffs for the first time in the Matt LaFleur era. Now, the franchise will be dealing with some very difficult decisions to get ready for the 2023 season.
All eyes will be on Aaron Rodgers as he considers retirement, but eyes will also be on backup QB Jordan Love. The former first-round pick has reportedly considered a trade request if Rodgers returns in 2023 as the 24-year-old looks for an opportunity to finally be a starter in the NFL.
The coaching staff could also look different in 2023. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry could firmly be on the hot seat, especially after the team’s performance against the Lions. There’s already some speculation that the Packers could make a run at former Wisconsin Badgers defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
Regardless of what happens, the Packers are likely to look quite different in 2023.