Pundits didn’t expect the Green Bay Packers to retain unrestricted free agent linebacker Quay Walker in 2026. That expectation became nearly official Monday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Las Vegas Raiders agreed to give Walker a 3-year, $40.5 million contract. The deal will include $28 million guaranteed.
The NFL’s legal tampering period began Monday at 12 pm ET. NFL free agents will be permitted to sign their new contracts beginning at 4 pm ET Wednesday.
Once Walker signs the dotted line, likely Wednesday, he will officially be gone in Green Bay.
The Packers drafted Walker at No. 22 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Over four seasons, he posted 469 combined tackles, including 29 tackles for loss. He also had nine sacks, 17 pass defenses and one interception.
But the Packers didn’t exercise Walker’s fifth-year option last May. That was a significant sign the team didn’t have the linebacker part of their future plans.
In 2025, Walker registered 128 combined tackles, including eight for loss, seven quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks.
Linebacker Quay Walker Signs With Raiders
The leader in NFL cap space at the beginning of the league’s legal tampering period, Las Vegas made several splash additions on Day 1. That included Walker.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper ranked the Packers tackling machine the No. 59 free agent of 2026.
“A first-round pick in 2022, Walker has premium athletic traits, with the speed to carry vertical routes in coverage, particularly as a middle-of-the-field runner in Cover 2. He has good instincts and reactions as an underneath zone defender when he can drive on checkdowns. Overall, though, Walker has not yet lived up to his draft slot,” wrote Popper.
“He is sometimes late to diagnose against the run, which allows interior offensive lineman to climb up to him at the second level. He can get swallowed up as a blitzer — he ranked 35th in pass-rush efficiency among off-ball linebackers with at least 50 pass-rush snaps. The potential is there. When Walker diagnoses against the run and triggers, he can fire downhill and be disruptive in that phase.”
Again, contracts won’t be official until late Wednesday afternoon. But Walker was one of several players the Packers lost on the first day of the legal tampering period.
Quarterback Malik Willis and defensive end Kingsley Enagbare each joined AFC East teams. The Packers also traded edge rusher Rashan Gary and released interior offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins.
How Packers Replace Walker
Pundits have argued the writing has been on the wall with Walker for a significant amount of time. But the Packers acquiring linebacker Zaire Franklin was probably the official sign Walker was done in Green Bay.
The Packers traded defensive tackle Colby Wooden to the Indianapolis Colts for Franklin on March 7.
As a former seventh-round pick, Franklin doesn’t have the natural traits Walker does. But Franklin has been a bigger playmaker over the past few years in the NFL, making second-team All-Pro in 2024.
Franklin will replace Walker on Green Bay’s defense next season.
In 2025, Franklin posted 125 combined tackles, including seven for loss. He also had six quarterback hits, five pass defenses, two sacks and one forced fumble.
Franklin arrived in Green Bay with two years remaining on his contract.
Packers Losing LB Quay Walker to AFC Foe for $40.5 Million: Report