Eight practices into Bucs coaching camp, David Walker has made one factor more and more troublesome to disregard – Tampa Bay might have a a lot greater outdoors linebacker determination on its palms than anybody anticipated. Eight straight practices with a minimum of one sack will try this.
That has caught my eye probably the most, and he has an actual likelihood at not simply combating for snaps because the third outdoors cross rusher however pushing Yaya Diaby for being the crew’s second outdoors linebacker within the beginning lineup.
Yeah, you heard me.
Walker has been the most important winner of camp to this point, however a number of others have additionally caught my eye as winners and losers.
Let’s dive proper into this week’s Slivon’s Slant!
David Walker Making Sturdy Case For Bucs OLB2 Job In 2026 – And Past
Remaining name for the David Walker hype practice.
It’s about to depart the station.
Over the previous week, I’ve taken to X to share my ideas on the completely sensational begin to Bucs coaching camp Walker is having.
David Walker now has sacks in EACH of the #Bucs 4 coaching camp practices.
Walker has been very spectacular every time he’s on the sector, and I imagine he’s the most effective outdoors cross rusher on the crew not named Yaya Diaby and Rueben Bain Jr.
I predict he might be OLB3. https://t.co/5s1IfS85zE
That was lower than per week in the past, however I’m ready to take it a step additional than merely saying he’s OLB3. He has a severe likelihood to problem Yaya Diaby for OLB2. It would sound outlandish to consider such a factor however hear me out first.
Diaby has been a productive cross rusher in Tampa Bay, recording 19 sacks over his first three seasons and turning into a extra polished cross rusher with a knack for producing a bevy of quarterback pressures. Whereas he’s a succesful No. 2 cross rusher and pairs effectively with first-round decide Rueben Bain Jr., Bain and Walker have already drawn some intriguing comparisons themselves.
Bucs OLBs Rueben Bain Jr. and David Walker – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Throughout Walker’s first Camp Diary with Pewter Report, he talked about what former Colts cross rushers Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis completed collectively. Freeney performed at 6-foot-1 and 268 kilos, whereas Mathis was solely 6-foot-2 and 245 kilos. That didn’t matter although, as they wreaked havoc all through the 2000s and into the 2010s, combining for 230.5 sacks and 96 pressured fumbles in Indianapolis.
“[Bain and I] were talking about it a couple weeks ago and we’re like, ‘Man, we’re Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis 2.0.,’” Walker stated. “We’re similar to those guys and we look up to those guys.”
Bain and Walker have comparable sawed-off builds, however every has a relentless motor to get into the backfield with a deep arsenal of strikes.
Understandably, some may push again on what I consider Walker. He’s 26 years previous, coming off a torn ACL, and has but to play in an NFL sport. Belief me, I’ve weighed these components and know that these are very actual, official considerations.
On the flip facet, his pass-rushing potential is for actual. It’s been on show all week in each coaching camp follow.
I’ve seen it, different Pewter Reporters and beat writers have seen it, and crew sources have said a number of occasions simply how excessive they’re on him each publicly and privately.
His monitor document relationship again to varsity reveals a elegant cross rusher. I’ve noticed that his toolbox of strikes is arguably higher than Diaby’s, even when the 2023 third-round decide can win with clear, pure energy and athleticism off the snap.
So, the place does that depart Diaby?
As of now, he’s probably the most confirmed cross rusher within the room and tasks to be the starter. Whereas all of the contract headlines are at the moment surrounding quarterback Baker Mayfield and nostril sort out Vita Vea, it may very effectively be “Sub-Zero’s” final yr with the Bucs, too.
Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
He’s set to be a free agent after this season, and given his monitor document, Diaby may command between $25 million and $30 million per yr on his second contract. At $20 million per yr, Boye Mafe’s market is one latest comparability regardless that Diaby is a greater participant, whereas Jaelan Phillips’ four-year, $120 million take care of the Panthers established simply how costly edge rushers can turn out to be. Might Diaby fetch $30 million per yr in 2027? Some may argue that Diaby is on Phillips’ degree.
That value level may show too wealthy for Tampa Bay’s liking, particularly as they mull paying Mayfield $50 million or extra per yr, giving Vea the extension he’s reportedly searching for (over $20 million per yr), and in addition giving proper guard Cody Mauch a brand new deal.
Have you ever seen what good guards are getting paid nowadays?
Retaining Diaby is just not as simple because it may appear, so why not give Walker extra taking part in time? He might be taking part in on the second yr of his four-year rookie deal, so his contract scenario is on far more sure floor.
That’s what makes this competitors so fascinating.
Tampa Bay doesn’t essentially have to decide on between Walker and Diaby this yr. It may well rotate each gamers and discover methods to maintain its finest cross rushers recent. But when Walker proves this manufacturing interprets to the preseason and common season, the Bucs will finally should resolve whether or not Diaby is actually their long-term OLB2 – or whether or not Walker’s emergence modifications that equation fully.
Surprisingly, head coach Todd Bowles has elected to maintain Walker totally on the third crew with Chris Braswell throughout camp to this point. I requested Bowles on Friday if he would rotate him in additional with the primary and second crew, to which he sounded amicable to doing beginning subsequent week.
“Well, he works in with some of the other pass rushers at times, but from a rep standpoint and a rest standpoint, we’ve got to kind of keep it equal right now,” Bowles stated. “Right now, there’s really no first, second or third team. We’ll start divvying it up after the Jets game and getting a little more time. He’ll see a lot of action next week in New York against their guys as well.”
Bowles additionally spoke extremely of Walker’s athleticism and flexibility.
Bucs OLB David Walker – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
“Just his energy and his athleticism [have] showed up,” Bowles added. “We didn’t get to see him in pads last year, but to see him out there and the way he moves. He moves like an inside [linebacker], but he plays outside [linebacker] and he [has] great power. To see him out there playing fast and not worried about his knee is great.”
Walker’s “hype” has been greater than justified, as every day he finds a brand new strategy to get by an offensive sort out and document a sack. Bowles may quickly be put in an envious place – having too many high quality cross rushers to rotate in.
Who would have thought?
Because the self-proclaimed conductor of the David Walker practice, room is shortly operating out to hop aboard.
Inventory Up, Inventory Down: Week 2 Bucs Camp Winners And Losers
Winners:
DT A’Shawn Robinson – The Bucs’ protection stole the present as pads got here on this week. Main the cost was veteran defensive sort out A’Shawn Robinson. Recognized for his tenacity and offering a much-needed edge and nastiness on the sector, Robinson demonstrated that the defensive entrance may stay productive even with out Vea’s future resolved. Not solely has he served as a mentor for the youthful guys, however he has confirmed able to making performs, too. Robinson had two sacks throughout Friday’s follow, and his press conferences alone command respect and may evoke worry into anybody who’s pressured to line up throughout from him. The phrase tone-setter will get thrown round, however he’s one.
ILB Josiah Trotter – All it took for Josiah Trotter to take his play up a notch was donning the pads. That led to an elevated depth on the sector from the rookie linebacker, as he was a menace on the line of scrimmage all week, both as a blitzer up the A spot or assembly ballcarriers within the backfield.
Bucs ILB Josiah Trotter – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Trotter had a number of tackles for loss, and he has sufficient of a basis to start out in Week 1. His protection stays a piece in progress and key developmental focus, however the way in which he contributes to different areas and carries himself as a mike linebacker is sort of evident.
CB Zyon McCollum – Zyon McCollum would be the first one to say that he had a disappointing 2025 season. He has put that behind him by what he has finished by two weeks of coaching camp. McCollum began off camp with a bang with an interception on the primary day. His arrow has solely pointed upward since then, as he added two extra picks this week as he at the moment leads the crew.
It’s clear that he’s being extra aggressive combating for the soccer when it’s being thrown his path, and his focus following the ball has drastically improved. McCollum doesn’t have to be an All-Professional, but when he data a couple of interceptions this season and performs tight protection, he can dwell as much as the contract he signed earlier than the beginning of final yr.
CB Ayden Garnes – It’s encouraging that three of the 4 winners listed below are newcomers on protection, however it’s even higher for the Bucs that one simply so occurs to be an undrafted free agent cornerback. The crew elected to not handle the place with a veteran starter, however Ayden Garnes has made probably the most of his prolonged possibilities. His play took off this week as he had an interception off Baker Mayfield and had one other spotlight play off No. 6 by staying stride-for-stride with Emeka Egbuka and batting down a deep ball try. He’s turning into the identify to observe amongst backup cornerbacks, even when Todd Bowles is just not naming names depth chart-wise.
“I don’t know if we have a backup corner right now or are willing to name backup corners right now [but] he’s been playing well,” Bowles stated Friday. “He’s playing with a lot more confidence. I think, mentally, he’s grasped a lot of things and he’s playing faster. I think his ability is starting to show. We’ll see him in games, but we are aware of his athleticism and his coverage skills.”
Losers:
WR Emeka Egbuka – After being featured within the early winners part final week, Emeka Egbuka didn’t have almost as a lot success this week. Egbuka struggled to create separation towards a number of cornerbacks, together with Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish, and Ayden Garnes. After wanting so dynamic throughout the first half of his rookie yr, his play took a considerable step again because the offense crumbled round him.
Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Expectations are excessive for him to look extra like a real No. 1 menace, however the most effective path to that consequence is just not by him stretching the sector vertically. As an alternative, Egbuka is somebody who would profit from extra brief to intermediate throws and doing the remainder with the ball in his palms.
TE Devin Culp – Devin Culp has been fairly inconsistent in camp to this point. As a receiving tight finish, Culp has fought by a case of the drops, failing to haul in a number of passes thrown to him. As a backup tight finish, chances are high already restricted to start with. Until he has an distinctive preseason, it’s onerous to see him making the 53-man roster. He’s a fantastic sufficient follow squad possibility, however for what this offense needs to do when operating 12 personnel, they will accomplish it with out him.
OT Justin Skule – With how effectively Rueben Bain Jr. and David Walker have been taking part in, together with the remainder of the skin cross rushers flashing their expertise, somebody is certain to be the loser. Justin Skule was introduced again to be the crew’s backup proper sort out, however he struggled protecting guys from getting round him and successful one-on-one. Based mostly on his monitor document, it’s too early to fret about Skule. It’s turning into apparent that he’s the fourth finest offensive sort out on the crew given the strides that Ben Chukwuma is making in his second yr.
CB Benjamin Morrison – Every follow that Benjamin Morrison misses, the extra uncertain it’s that he claims a beginning spot on the Bucs’ protection. Morrison has not solely misplaced his grip on the second cornerback place to Jacob Parrish, however Ayden Garnes has emerged as somebody who may be high quality depth and fill in when wanted. Tampa Bay won’t be giving up on its 2025 second-round decide simply but, however he has to point out one thing this summer time – and do it quickly.
Closing Slant
The second week of Bucs coaching camp largely went the protection’s means. From how the cross rush bested the offensive line to the secondary creating takeaways every day, it gives optimism that the protection might be improved this season. The unit appears to be like improved at every degree, with a deeper line of defense, improved play from the within linebackers and the cornerback and security rooms answering the decision to this point. Subsequent week poses new challenges, as Tampa Bay might be touring northeast to tackle the Jets for joint follow and the preseason opener.
It’s the first of a number of significant measuring sticks the crew may have this yr, as they are going to be going to battle towards one other NFL roster.
To this point, David Walker has been the most effective participant in camp. His emergence suggests the Bucs’ outdoors cross rush might be much more harmful than anticipated, and it may have a ripple impact on the crew’s future plans. The winners and losers are beginning to separate themselves, however Walker could also be forcing Tampa Bay to ask a query it by no means anticipated to face this early.
What occurs if the third cross rusher seems to be too good to maintain off the sector?
Comply with Pewter Report’s Bucs Coaching Camp Protection!
Prepare for loads of entertaining Bucs practices and preseason video games that Pewter Report might be readily available for all through the month of August. To observe our protection, keep tuned to PewterReport.com and our PewterReportTV YouTube channel. If you’re on the lookout for our newest ideas on camp, Scott Reynolds and I coated it in-depth throughout our Friday Pewter Report Podcast beneath. Test it out!
