Bucs edge rusher picking up the pieces after season-ending injury

David Walker was beginning to make a name for himself during his first training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before a torn ACL brought his rookie season to an abrupt end. One year later, he appears to be picking up right where he left off.

Pro Football Talk highlighted Walker's strong start to his second training camp after the former fourth-round pick returned from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season during Tampa Bay's third camp practice. Head coach Todd Bowles has already noticed a difference now that Walker is healthy.

"He's got his quickness and his speed back," Bowles said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "So as a pass rusher, he's looked very good as far as his movements and everything else."

Walker never appeared in a regular-season game as a rookie, meaning there isn't any NFL production or PFF data to judge him by yet. What Tampa Bay does have is the same intriguing skill set that had the coaching staff excited before his injury.

Despite being mildly shorter than some of Tampa Bay's other edge defenders, Walker carries more than 260 pounds, and Bowles believes his leverage and power could allow him to contribute from multiple alignments.

"I think he can do almost everything," Bowles said. "He's probably a good inside kicker as well, getting off the ball and doing some things like that."

That versatility could become valuable in a revamped Buccaneers pass rush. Tampa Bay drafted Rueben Bain Jr. in the first round and also has Yaya Diaby, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Anthony Nelson, and Chris Braswell competing for snaps, but Walker isn't looking that far ahead just yet.

"I'm just taking it day by day," Walker said. "I'm trying to do what I can do to compete."

After losing an entire rookie season before it really began, simply getting Walker back on the field is significant. If what Tampa Bay saw last summer carries over once the pads come on, the Buccaneers could essentially be adding another young pass rusher to an already deep competition.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs edge rusher picking up the pieces after season-ending injury

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