The Bucs’ offseason program begins in a couple of weeks, starting on April 20. Later in May, the team will begin to participate in on-field practices called organized team activities, otherwise known as OTAs. While these practices are voluntary, there’s usually a pretty good turnout from the active roster.

These practices are even more important for young and upcoming players that missed the year before. That includes Bucs outside linebacker David Walker, who is going into his second season with Tampa Bay but has yet to even play a preseason game for the team.

Walker tore his ACL three days into training camp last season. A fourth-round pick out of Central Arkansas, there were a lot of high hopes for him before the injury. Tampa Bay’s pass rush suffered all season long, making Walker’s absence was even more magnified.

Bucs OLB David Walker – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Despite being unable to play, Walker has been at it attacking his rehab for the knee. He joined the Pewter Report Podcast recently to provide an update on how everything is going.

“It’s been feeling good,” Walker said. “It’s been ups and downs with the knee. You have good days, you have bad days. For the majority of the part it’s been good. The team there at the Bucs are doing an amazing job trying to get me back as fast as I can. The knee is feeling good. It’s feeling healthy, hoping to be ready before training camp starts.”

Walker mentioned training camp in his answer, which is in late July. But what about OTAs coming up next month? He addressed that possibility, too.

“The trajectory we’re heading on right now, I really don’t know,” Walker said. “It’s up to the trainers, how good they feel, the confidence they have in my knee and the confidence I have ultimately. I’m hoping to be ready for mini-camp, but either [mini-camp] or [training camp]. We’re doing the cutting, the running, it’s been good.”

Bucs OLB David Walker Welcomes The High Expectations

Nobody has been more excited about the prospect of David Walker contributing to the Bucs than general manager Jason Licht. He’s been hyping him up for a long time, even while the team is still in draft preparation.

“I can’t wait to see David Walker,” Licht said. He also had his own update about Walker’s rehab.

“It was beyond okay,” he said. “He’s what we call ‘kind of a freak.’ He got through everything. I heard that countless times through the trainers that he’s way ahead of schedule. This guys’ unbelievable, not just his work ethic, but his genetic makeup.”

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With comments like that, it’s built up this kind of mythological praise of a player that hasn’t done anything yet. It’s a combination of the Bucs front office being excited about a player it believes can contribute instantly along with a pass rush that struggled last season without many answers.

It has the fan base kind of split. Some are very excited about Walker’s return and what he can bring to the team. Others feel he’s being a bit too over-hyped for a fourth-round pick that hasn’t even worn full pads in a Bucs practice yet – let alone played in a game. Neither side is wrong for how they feel, but it does bring a lot of intrigue and raised expectations for whenever Walker does take the field again.

And Walker is happy to handle the expectations that come with it.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Walker said. “I like when the pressure’s against me because I feel like that’s when I perform the best. When people doubt me, when people say things about me, I just let my game speak for itself. God’s blessed me with this ability to play this game and ability to even be up into this point of the NFL.

Bucs OLB David Walker and TE Payne Durham – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I feel like if I go out there and I waste it, that’s a waste. So when I go out there I want to give it my all. If we win, lose. If I don’t get the sack, I can do anything just to help the team out and be in a better spot than we were in last year.”

Check out our entire conversation with Walker on the Pewter Report Podcast and subscribe to our PewterReportTV YouTube channel.