Getty Tracy Walker flexes on the field during the Lions loss to the Bengals in 2021.
Tracy Walker has been with the Detroit Lions long enough to know how things go, so he understands some of the narratives about the team and how they will simply never die.
If fans thought players didn’t care about such things or simply go through the motions on the field, Walker is exhibit A as to why that is not completely the case. Walker officially returned to the Lions with a new contract, and when he met with the media, he was clear in his intentions to help change the narrative about the team.
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Walker spoke to the media openly when asked about his desire to flip the script and change the narrative, and admitted that he has a desire to make believers out of the Lions fanbase and those around the league. As Walker said, the fact the team finished with a poor record only serves as motivation for a stronger 2022.
Watch: @TracyWalkerIII speak with the media
“We were 3-13-1. I don’t think anyone wants to go out that way. We ended off the season on a positive note. That’s the unfinished business I’m talking about,” Walker said. “Everybody just always doubts the Lions. I hate that. I hate to seeing people always think we are not accounted for or better yet, not going to be a winning organization just because of the past history when each year, each team is different. Like this is a new team. It has a couple old pieces, but at the end of the day, there’s not a lot of guys who will be coming back this year.”
Detroit brought back lots of free agent players, but it would not be a shock to see the team take some steps forward. Another year with the coaching staff could lead to continuity, and the team could have a quick way to prove the doubters Walker is talking about wrong.
Walker Explains Lions’ Defensive Struggles During 2021
Detroit’s defense struggled statistically and finished 29th in the league last year in total defense statistically. To that end, there might be some reservations about the Lions bringing back Walker. The player himself, though, wants everyone to remember that there were some circumstances which led to some of the struggles, and the team can be better in 2022 with scheme familiarity and more experience.
“We were all young. We had a lot of injuries we had to go through. A lot of young guys had to step up early, whether it was Jeff (Okudah), we had Jerry (Jacobs), we had Bobby (Price) not just in the secondary. You had a lot of guys who didn’t get starting action or nothing and had to come in and play. For that to be put on your place initially coming out ofd college or better yet, early in your career, that’s very difficult for you to overcome. Throughout the year, guys continued to get better each and every week. For the most part it’s the same scheme, same plays. As long as you continue to develop and learn from your mistakes and continue to grow, that’s all you can ask. The foundation was shaky because we had a new coaching staff, new scheme, everybody’s trying to learn how to play with each other. There’s a whole lot of nuances. For those young guys to continue to grow and develop. That’s all it is, just growth. As long as you continue growth, sky’s the limit.”
Walker could be included in that group. He’s still young himself and certainly developing well within the defense, which is a large reason he returned. The Lions likely feel they can grow with not only him, but all of the other young players they will be trotting out in 2022.
Walker Happy to Return to Lions
Obviously, there was no doubt that Walker wanted to come back from the start. He talked about it after the season, the coaches wanted to see him return and his teammates erupted in a major way after the deal was revealed. It stands to reason that Walker would be just as excited to finish off a deal with the team he started with, sticking around for the foreseeable future in Detroit.
In the hours following the signing, Walker hopped on Twitter and shared his first thoughts on his return, showing how happy he was to stick with the Lions.
21Savage is happy to still be a Detroit lion.. Let’s Go‼️
“21Savage is happy to still be a Detroit Lion.. Let’s Go,” Walker tweeted.
Walker clearly wanted to come back to Detroit, and a big part of his goal seems to be making sure that the lazy takes about the Lions stop.
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