Tampa Bay’s linebacker depth took a hit this week, as rookie edge rusher David Walker has been ruled out for the 2025 NFL season with a torn ACL.
The injury occurred during Friday’s practice, and a source confirmed the severity to The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov. The Tampa Bay Times was the first to report the nature of the injury on Monday.
#Bucs rookie OLB David Walker suffered a torn ACL during Friday’s practice and will undergo season-ending surgery. The 4th-round pick out of Central Arkansas had been showing a lot of promise early in camp. pic.twitter.com/mTroyady2a
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 28, 2025
Walker, a fourth-round pick in April’s NFL Draft, was expected to serve in a reserve role behind veterans Haason Reddick and Yaya Diaby. Instead, he will now miss his entire rookie campaign before ever taking the field for a regular-season game.
The 6-foot-2, 260-pound linebacker arrived in Tampa Bay following an elite college career at Central Arkansas. A three-time FCS All-American, Walker led the nation with 23 tackles for loss last season and recorded 10.5 sacks. His efforts earned him the 2024 Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in FCS football.
The Bucs had high hopes for the explosive rookie, especially as part of a retooled front seven that added star veteran Reddick during the offseason. Instead, the injury shifts attention to the depth behind their projected starters and may prompt a late-summer roster move if general manager Jason Licht decides to bring in outside help.
While Walker’s long-term outlook remains promising, his rookie season is officially over before it began. Tampa Bay is now left to navigate the loss as training camp ramps up and the regular season draws closer.