Green Bay Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker might have just complicated his pending free agency after landing himself in some legal trouble this week.
According to the New York Post, Walker was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm at LaGuardia Airport in New York City on Friday, January 23. The Post added that he “tried to check a bag that contained a handgun and ammunition,” citing prosecutors.
“The 25-year-old offensive lineman was taken into custody just before 11 a.m. after telling a Delta Air Lines employee that his luggage contained a locked box holding his 9mm Glock pistol, according to a criminal complaint,” The Post’s staff wrote.
Walker’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, also told The Post that Walker was legally licensed to carry the firearm in Wisconsin — where he plays for the Packers — and that he disclosed it to a Delta employee, “mistakenly” believing his license allowed him to travel with it.
“We are confident the case will be dismissed,” Aidala said, via The Post.
Rasheed Walker Will Become Free Agent in March
Walker is still a member of the Packers’ roster, but his rookie contract will also expire on the first day of the 2026 league year at 4 p.m. ET on March 11, meaning the team must either sign him to an extension or let their three-year starter at left tackle walk.
Even before Walker’s legal trouble, though, the Packers seemed unlikely to re-up.
Walker has made 48 starts over the past three seasons for the Packers and played in every game since taking over at left tackle for former All-Pro David Bakhtiari in 2023, far exceeding expectations as a former seventh-round draft selection. Inconsistencies, particularly with his run-blocking, have kept him from reaching the next level, though.
For potential suitors elsewhere, Walker does present some upside. He finished with the 11th-best pass-block win rate (35%) among offensive tackles in 2025, despite allowing more pressures (34) and committing more penalties (nine). Spotrac, however, projects that Walker will earn north of $20 million annually on his next contract.
The Packers — who currently project as nearly $11 million over the cap — won’t want to pay him that much. And given his inconsistencies, they may not even make an offer.
Will Packers Look Internally to Replace Rasheed Walker?
The Packers might not have the resources to afford Walker, even if they did have a few good reasons to bring him back, but that does not mean they will need to dive into free agency or hold out for the 2026 NFL draft to find their next starting left tackle.
If the Packers plan to promote internally, Jordan Morgan is the logical candidate to replace Walker. The 2024 first-round pick has not locked down his place in the lineup as quickly as some fans had hoped, but he showed off his versatility in 2025, playing snaps at left tackle (51), left guard (191), right guard (358) and right tackle (148).
While the Packers might still have reservations about whether Morgan can handle the full-time left tackle responsibilities, they sunk a first-round pick into him for a reason.
The Packers also have Anthony Belton, a 2025 second-round pick, in the mix to battle for the starting left tackle job in 2026. He played more snaps at right guard (392) than at either of the two tackle positions (92) as a rookie, but he did not allow a single sack.
With those two, the Packers have little reason to even consider re-signing Walker.
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