The Bucs suffered their first unfortunate season-ending injury during training camp as the team lost rookie outside linebacker David Walker to a torn ACL. Walker suffered a knee injury at the very end of Friday’s practice during a two-minute drill.

Pewter Report broke the news on Monday morning just before the team took the practice field at the AdventHealth Training Center at One Buccaneer Place.

Walker, the team’s fourth-round pick, came to Tampa Bay with plenty of buzz and was the star of the rookie mini-camp, dazzling with his speed and plenty of pass rush moves off the edge. Walker dominated at the FCS level, recording 39 sacks and 82 tackles for loss in four seasons at Central Arkansas. Walker was a steal on Day 3 and was expected to push Chris Braswell and Anthony Nelson for the OLB3 role on the depth chart behind starters Haason Reddick and Yaya Diaby. He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-1, 260 pounds, but Walker packed a punch and was explosive off the edge.

Walker was the subject of one of Pewter Report’s Camp Diary series and had delivered his first installment prior to training camp. Unfortunately with Walker being on injured reserve he cannot continue with his Camp Diary editions.

How David Walker’s Injury Affects Bucs OLB Room

With David Walker sidelined for the season, there is an opportunity for one of the team’s reserve pass rushers to make the 53-man roster. The addition of Haason Reddick and Walker this offseason meant that the Bucs had likely filled the top five outside linebackers the team was expected to keep on the active roster. Reddick, Yaya Diaby, Chris Braswell, last year’s second-round pick, Anthony Nelson and Walker were poised to be the team’s edge rushers in 2025.

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

Now with Walker out for the year, there is an opportunity for either Markees Watts or Jose Ramirez – both of whom are entering their third season in Tampa Bay – to make the active roster as OLB5. Watts spent half of last year on injured reserve due to a knee injury, while Ramirez has been on the practice squad for his first two seasons in red and pewter.

The Bucs also have Warren Peeples, an undrafted free agent out of Southeastern Louisiana, competing for a roster spot or a spot on the practice squad. Peeples is the lightest edge rusher on the team at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds.