The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had several easily identifiable needs this offseason — one of the most pressing was adding depth at inside linebacker.
While NFL All-Pro Lavonte David has been one of the league’s best at his position for over a decade, the problem has been the inside linebacker opposite David has been less than up to the task in recent years.
That’s why the Buccaneers brought in veteran Anthony Walker Jr. on a 1-year, $1.422 million free agent contract in March with the thought he could either provide great depth or become the starter opposite David.
Just 5 months later, Walker Jr. has been given his walking papers — released despite reports that he’s healthy despite being on the PUP list (Physically Unable To Perform) throughout the offseason.
Tampa is releasing veteran LB Anthony Walker Jr., who has been on the Physically Unable to Perform List but is said to be ‘healthy and ready to go,’ ” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on August 25.
The deadline for all 32 NFL teams to cut rosters down to 53 players is August 26 at 4 p.n. ET.
The Buccaneers, who are trying to make the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year, open the regular season on the road against the Atlanta Falcons on September 7.
Walker Full-Time Starter For Several Teams
Walker was a fifth round pick (No. 161 overall) by the Indianapolis Colts out of Northwestern in the 2017 NFL draft and has approximately $15.3 million in career earnings through his first 8 seasons.
Walker, who just turned 30 years old, played for the Colts his first four seasons and was a full time starter for the last 3, including a career high 124 tackles in 2019.
He spent 3 seasons with Cleveland Browns and had 113 tackles in 2021. He played on a 1-year, $1.377 million contract for the Miami Dolphins in 2024 and saw action in 14 games with 8 starts, 68 tackles and 1 interception.
Walker seemed enthusiastic about his future in Tampa Bay at the start of training camp despite his inability to practice due to a non-specific “lower leg injury.”
“All the guys, the coaches, the offensive coaches, defensive coaches — it’s a real family organization here,” Walker told Sports Illustrated. “I’m excited to be here. I told Lavonte I want to finish my career here so I’m excited to just join it and play my role in helping this team win.”
Projecting How Bucs Look at Inside Linebacker
ESPN’s Jenna Laine already had Walker Jr. left off her 53-man roster prediction for the Buccaneers on August 23.
In Laine’s model, she has Tampa Bay keeping 4 inside linebackers; starters David and SirVocea Dennis along with backups Nick Jackson and Deion Jones.
David, a second round pick by the Buccaneers in 2012, is headed into his 13th NFL season and signed a 1-year, $9 million contract on March 7.
This was a trickier cut to make because of Jackson’s stellar preseason performance in the first two preseason games (2 sacks, 2 tackles for a loss, an interception and a pass breakup), John Bullock’s contributions (1 sack, 1 tackle for a loss and two passed defensed) and because Anthony Walker Jr. is recovering from a lower leg injury — which lands him on the non-football injury list,” Laine wrote.
Buccaneers Make Surprise Move With ‘Healthy and Ready To Go’ $15 Million LB