Movie: Revisiting The David Walker Hype
With coaching camp now in full swing, we’re beginning to get a really feel for who’s standing out. One title that needs to be thrilling for the Bucs’ brass is 2025 draft choose David Walker. An early Day 3 choose final yr, basic supervisor Jason Licht and his personnel division thought Walker was a diamond within the tough. And that is smart. Have a look at his manufacturing chart relative to different edge rushers from the FBS and FCS in 2024.
A torn ACL robbed Walker of his rookie season. However his restoration goes nicely as evidenced by the entire camp noise he’s making.
David Walker with what would’ve been a sixth sack in six practices. As an alternative, it’s a holding penalty
The eye proper now could be deservedly on first-round draft choose Rueben Bain Jr. and veteran Yaya Diaby because the starters. However Walker is making a fast push to be the primary man off the bench over free agent Al-Quadin Muhammad and roster holdover Anthony Nelson. Pewter Report’s Adam Slivon believes Walker has the within observe as a result of highest ceiling of the bunch.
And I agree with him. I went again and watched a number of video games of Walker’s final yr at Central Arkansas. And it’s a enjoyable watch.
The Go Rush Instrument Belt
It’s uncommon to discover a faculty go rusher with a complicated plan and a deep bag of instruments to win. However Walker was an older prospect (25 years outdated throughout his last season in faculty) taking part in at a decrease degree of competitors, giving him loads of alternative to hone his craft. And hone he did. Regardless of being the very best athlete on the sector for each sport I watched (North Alabama, Lindenwood and Tarleton), he didn’t simply depend on his superior bodily traits.
There have been loads of reps the place Walker used actual clearing strategies that ought to translate to the NFL together with a double-hand swipe, a chop and a membership together with a nasty rip transfer that left opposing tackles greedy at air.
His use of palms will be the single most essential a part of his sport as he eyes his first reside NFL reps as a result of he doesn’t have prototypical size. His top (almost 6-foot-1), arm size (31.875″) and wingspan (77.5″) are within the first, sixth and eleventh percentiles for edge rushers, respectively. Due to that he should preserve longer-levered tackles off his chest. A sophisticated hand preventing skillset will aide him in that endeavor.
What’s most encouraging is that Walker had a plan for every opponent he confronted. Not every workforce. Every offensive deal with.
In the identical sport he would recurrently use his palms, burst and bend to win the nook in opposition to a slower-footed deal with – successful the sting again and again. However when lined up on the alternative facet his plan of assault would change, morphing right into a speed-to-power bull rusher hell-bent on driving his opponent again onto his heels and into the quarterback’s lap.
Walker’s assault variation leads me to consider he’s an actual movie junky trying to acquire the higher hand by the smallest of margins. As the extent of competitors he faces improves significantly, it’s this trait that has the very best probability of sustaining within the NFL.
Relentless Motor And Shocking Athleticism
His dimension is definitely an outlier. Regardless of his shorter stature, at 263 kilos his weight is true lifeless heart within the fiftieth percentile for edge rushers. You wouldn’t anticipate a participant together with his dimensions to be a superior athlete. And his testing says he’s extra good-than-great. Surprisingly, his 10-yard cut up measured beneath common at 1.65 seconds (thirty eighth percentile). However on tape he was clearly the very best athlete on the sector in every of the video games I noticed him in, recurrently successful off the road, across the arc and in a check of power and energy.
Sarcastically sufficient, Bain is his second-closest bodily comp per Mockdraftables at 84%.
It’s the mix of energy and finesse that’s most intriguing although, as displayed on this aim line stand the place he beats the tight finish off the road to shut the lane, plant and maintain his spot as the road washes into him after which flex again to his outdoors to get convey down the again who’s attempting to bounce outdoors of his vary.
The Issues
What’s so fascinating about Walker is there are only a few considerations on tape. The largest one I may discover is that he has a penchant for stepping down the road and taking himself out of performs when he identifies a puller wrapping to his facet. I perceive his plan in these conditions. If Walker can get the puller to interrupt his path and attempt to bend again to seal him, he can disrupt the trail of the entire run. However typically the result’s the puller bypassing him whereas he finally ends up too far inside to catch the again attending to the nook.
Bucs OLB David Walker – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Past that every little thing else comes again to “can he translate to the NFL?” Taking part in within the FCS meant his common competitors was gamers who won’t ever make an NFL follow squad, not to mention a beginning lineup. He’s going from the very best athlete on the sector to common to a tick above. And there isn’t a lot room for projection at this level.
He’s 26 years outdated. He’s not going to get greater, sooner or extra versatile. Walker doesn’t have to, although. He simply has to take care of this degree of athleticism whereas leveraging the go rush plan and hand-fighting abilities. If he can do this, he will probably be loads adequate to be a serious a part of a gifted go rush in Tampa Bay.
Finance: Cap 101
A fantastic debate has just lately raged, sparked by Baker Mayfield’s feedback a few potential $80 million cap hit the Bucs would incur ought to they franchise tag him in 2027. I’m not right here to re-litigate the professionals and cons of that particular route. If you wish to hear extra about my ideas on Baker and his negotiations with the Bucs, be happy to take a look at this video on PewterReport’s YouTube channel, PewterReportTV.
However what I do suppose is useful is reviewing the distinction between cap and money, and why NFL groups don’t “budget” for cap hits.
Cap vs. Money
Money is the one most essential monetary useful resource groups take into consideration in the case of placing a roster on the sector. Most of that comes right down to the truth that money is what homeowners really must spend. This represents the true checks they write and actual expenditures that go away their coffers. Cap is merely an accounting course of to maintain observe of that money over a number of years. Let’s use Baker Mayfield for example.
When the Bucs initially signed Mayfield in 2023, it was for one yr and $4 million with incentives that might pay him extra. His cap hit that yr was simply $1.7 million. How may Tampa Bay get such a low cap quantity, particularly when Mayfield earned a great portion of his incentives? They structured a few of his cash owed as a bonus that might be prorated over a couple of season. In doing that they deferred the accounting of the cash they really paid. It didn’t magically disappear. It was simply moved to a later yr.
Bucs assistant GM Mike Greenberg – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Deferred Accounting And “Dead Cap Hits”
Groups use this cover maneuver recurrently as a result of it acts successfully as an curiosity free mortgage of cap {dollars}. As a result of the NFL wage cap regularly rises as a result of ever-increasing reputation of the game, cap {dollars} are cheaper in every subsequent yr. The wage cap in 2023 was $224.8 million. The $2.3 million of Mayfield’s wage that was pushed to future years was 1.02% of that cap.
However because it didn’t hit till 2024, when the wage cap was $255.4 million, the proportion of cap that it represented decreased to 0.90% of the cap. Here’s a hypothetical instance if a workforce wished to reduce a cap hit by as a lot as attainable through the lifetime of the contract:
Contract – Two years, $50 million – Participant will get $25 million in money annually
12 months One – $25 million in money, $2 million in base wage and a $23 million totally prorated bonusYear Two – $25 million in money, $2 million in base wage and a $23 million totally prorated bonus
Past this, the workforce makes use of 4 void years to park the remainder remainder of the prorated cash.
Cap Hits
12 months One – $6.6 million ($2 million wage + 1/5 of the yr one bonus)12 months Two – $11.2 million ($2 million wage + 1/5 of the yr one bonus + 1/5 of the yr two bonus)12 months Three (Void 12 months One) – $9.2 million (1/5 of the yr one bonus + 1/5 of the yr two bonus)12 months 4 (Void 12 months Two) – $9.2 million (1/5 of the yr one bonus + 1/5 of the yr two bonus)12 months 5 (Void 12 months Three) – $9.2 million (1/5 of the yr one bonus + 1/5 of the yr two bonus)12 months Six (Void 12 months 4) – $4.6 million (1/5 of the yr two bonus)
If the workforce extends the participant previous to the contract voiding after two years, then the prorated cash in years 3 by way of 6 stays the place it’s (plus the brand new cap hits related to the brand new deal). If an extension isn’t agreed to earlier than the void date, the entire prorated cash accelerates to yr 3 (on this case $32.2 million).
These accounting maneuvers are why it is best to by no means evaluate workforce spending primarily based on wage cap. As an example, the Bucs official wage cap spending, together with lifeless cap hits from 2025, as of this text’s publication in response to Over The Cap is $303,192,417. Evaluate that to the Eagles, who OTC has at $293,041,884 and also you may suppose the Bucs are outspending Philadelphia in the case of expertise. This couldn’t be farther from the reality.
In actuality, the Eagles are outspending the Bucs in money (which is what gamers care about – precise cash), by about 17% this yr. That’s virtually $60 million! Take into consideration what Jason Licht may add to this roster if the Glazers gave him an additional $60 million to spend!
The Bucs do defer a few of their contracts and create lifeless cap. Simply to not the extent of the most important spending groups. As a result of Tampa Bay is a low-to-mid money spending workforce, they will afford to take greater cap hits on franchise tag conditions like Baker, and Chris Godwin Jr. and Shaq Barrett, earlier than him.
They don’t spend sufficient actual money to have to defer most of it in an effort to keep beneath the wage cap. Ought to it get there, a number of restructures right here and there’ll permit Tampa Bay to simply account for each his tag quantity in addition to his lifeless cap acceleration from this contract.
Forecast: Development Adjustments Below New Bucs Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson
Final week I postured the Bucs can be a greater offense in 2026 in a really particular state of affairs (2nd and lengthy). I dove into extra of recent offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s tendencies as a play caller to search out different adjustments within the offense that I anticipate this yr.
• The Bucs will run extra on first down. The Falcons ran on first down 58.5% of the time over the previous two years. The Bucs ran 56% on first down final yr. It’s a small change, however in my view it’s within the fallacious route.
• Huge zone utilization will probably be up, however not as a lot as you may suppose. Robinson known as huge zone on roughly 60% of his run calls in Atlanta. Grizzard was at 20% in Tampa Bay. The expectation is that the Bucs will probably be near 60% this yr. However I feel Robinson is establishing for nearer to a 50/50 cut up this yr. My reasoning is easy. As gamers have been requested in regards to the run sport throughout coaching camp, they persistently begin by speaking about WZ earlier than pivoting to a be aware in regards to the hole runs. And that pivot is unprompted.
#Bucs TE Cade Otton is the newest offensive participant to debate the huge zone. Otton believes that with OC Zac Robinson’s confidence, they are going to have extra success operating it in 2026. pic.twitter.com/ayjQdyvihE
• Pink zone operating will probably be up considerably. Robinson ran 55% of the time within the purple zone when he was calling performs in Atlanta. Grizzard was at 47%.
• The wedding of Robinson’s protections schemes with the Bucs’ offensive line ought to have them as a high two safety unit within the NFL. The Falcons solely allowed sacks on 5.3% of their drop backs final yr. That’s an elite mark regardless of having lower than elite go protectors on expertise and a backup proper deal with all yr.
Robinson values robust safety plans to maintain his quarterbacks clear. Pair that with Cody Mauch, Tristan Wirfs, Luke Goedeke and a gifted unit stuffed with go block-first gamers and the Bucs have an opportunity to be an elite unit in 2026.
Enjoyable Fourth Down
This week I wished to revisit final weeks Who Desires to be a Millionaire questions and offer you the solutions. How did you do?
$1,000 – This former Bucs first-round choose by no means performed a snap for the Bucs. – Bo Jackson
$5,000 – This was the final participant – not Vita Vea – to publicly request a commerce from the Bucs. They didn’t commerce him, and he left in free company the next season. – Devin White
$10,000 – What number of consecutive losses did the Bucs endure earlier than notching their first win in franchise historical past? – 26
$25,000 – What number of Corridor of Famers have performed for the Bucs? – 9 – Lee Roy Selmon, Randall McDaniel, Darrelle Revis, Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, Steve Younger, John Lynch, Ronde Barber and Tim Brown
Bucs legendary LB Derrick Brooks and DT Warren Sapp – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
$50,000 – Shaq Barrett’s 19.5-sack 2019 season broke this participant’s franchise report. – Warren Sapp (16.5)
$100,000 – Solely 4 groups have extra playoff wins than Tampa Bay since 2020. Who’re they? – Kansas Metropolis (13), Buffalo (8), Los Angeles Rams (8), San Francisco (7) – Philadelphia has as many as Tampa Bay (6).
$250,000 – This Bucs participant is fourth amongst all non-quarterback offensive talent positions in snaps over the previous three seasons at 2,783. He trails solely D.J. Moore, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ja’Marr Chase (per Sumer Sports activities). – Cade Otton (wouldn’t be a Josh Queipo trivia sport with out an compulsory Cade Otton query)
$500,000 – This dynamic Bucs backfield duo mixed for two,763 yards from scrimmage in a single season. – Doug Martin/Charles Simms (2015) – 2,763 yards
$1,000,000 – Within the fashionable draft period, this participant would have been an undrafted free agent. However since he entered the NFL previous to 1994, he holds the distinguished title of finest Eighth-Twelfth spherical choose in franchise historical past after taking part in eight seasons in Tampa Bay. – David Logan was a Twelfth-round choose in 1979
