Getty Tracy Walker celebrates an onside kick against the Rams in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have multiple big decisions to make with regards to their own free agents in the days ahead, and one of the key players to watch will be safety Tracy Walker.
Walker had a big season in 2021 with 108 tackles and 1 interception, which represented his best season in the league thus far. As a result, Walker could be primed for a comeback with the Lions this season if the sides sit down and hammer out a deal in free agency.
The latest Lions news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lions newsletter here!
Would the Lions bring Walker back? Already they’ve done a few deals with their own free agents, and could soon decide to do the same with others. The safety would be a good candidate given the starters role he played for the Lions during the 2021 season and how much he managed to show when he was on the field.
Speaking in a piece in the Detroit Free Press by Dave Birkett, defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant explained at the Senior Bowl that conditions could be ripe for a return given what Walker has done already and can do in the future. As Pleasant said:
“Both him and I believe, for as good as his year was, there is vast room for improvement,” Lions secondary coach Aubrey Pleasant said at the Senior Bowl. “And I think collectively, if we get a chance to maybe work together again in the future, maybe you guys can see the same progression that maybe you’ve seen over the past year.”
The team appears to like Walker enough for a possible return, but at this point, money will speak the loudest. The Lions have around $21 million to work with in cap space. As Birkett wrote in his piece, the franchise tag might not be likely to be applied in this instance, so it will be on the sides coming together for a deal that works if both want to make it happen.
There are other free agent safeties on the market, so this case will be worth watching in the days ahead before free agency.
Why Walker Could Return for Lions in 2022
As is explained in the piece, the Lions could want to see more from Walker, and may have liked his fit within their defense. Last season, Dan Campbell praised Walker in the middle of the year, and he only continued to play well from that point on. Walker has admitted that he might not mind a return to the Lions either, which could be something that the team decides to use as motivation to get a deal done.
If the Lions elect to move on from Walker, they will have to patch yet another massive hole on defense at safety. Not only is Walker a free agent, but Dean Marlowe is as well. Without either of them, the Lions would have to shop for someone in free agency in order to fill the void when they could feel they have a capable player in Walker who is already learning in the scheme. The player might additionally feel some major comfort already in Detroit given it’s where he has started his career and developed so far.
Walker’s Stats & Highlights
In his Detroit career, Walker has been solid since being a third-round draft pick in 2018. His first season in the league, Walker managed to put up 21 tackles and 1 interception. From there, though, he has only taken on a bigger role and managed to play a more meaningful role for the team’s defense. In 2019, Walker bounced back and put up his best season to date, with 103 tackles and 1 interception. In 2021, Walker had another solid year with 108 tackles, 1 sack and 1 interception. As a whole, Walker has put up 318 tackles, 3 sacks and 3 interceptions. Here’s a look at some highlights:
Walker is a free agent in the 2022 offseason, so it will be interesting to see whether or not the Lions elect to bring him back and if he returns.