Tag: Mykal Walker

Former Falcons LB Mykal Walker reunites with Dan Quinn in Washington

Former Falcons LB Mykal Walker is reuniting with former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn in Washington

Former Falcons linebacker Mykal Walker is reuniting with head coach Dan Quinn, signing a contract with the Washington Commanders on Wednesday. Quinn was still the head coach in Atlanta when Walker was drafted back in 2020,

The Falcons fired Quinn five games into Walker’s rookie season after the team started 0-5. The 26-year-old linebacker served as a backup from 2020-2021 before starting 12 games for the team in 2022. Atlanta released Walker during training camp the following year.

Walker bounced around a bit before catching on with the Steelers midway through the 2023 season. The former Fresno State standout has appeared in 57 games with 25 career starts. Walker has 220 tackles (125 solo), four interceptions and one sack over his four years in the NFL.

The Commanders also signed former Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota in free agency. Mariota is set to be the first QB ever to wear the No. 0 uniform.

Commanders sign linebacker Mykal Walker

The Commanders add another linebacker.

The Washington Commanders kicked off their offseason program on Tuesday, and general manager Adam Peters is still making moves.

The Commanders signed veteran linebacker Mykal Walker on Tuesday, the third linebacker they’ve signed since free agency opened last month, joining Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner.

Walker, 26, was a fourth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in the 2020 NFL draft out of Fresno State. Washington head coach Dan Quinn was the Falcons head coach when they selected Walker.

After three seasons with the Falcons, the 6-foot-3, 232-pound Walker was released in August 2023. The Bears claimed Walker off waivers and released him two weeks later. From there, he signed with the Raiders and was placed on the practice squad. After one month with Las Vegas, Walker was released and signed by the Steelers.

Walker appeared in eight games for Pittsburgh last season, making five starts. He recorded 33 tackles, including two for loss.

Ex-Falcons LB Mykal Walker gets INT on Thursday night football

WATCH: Ex-Falcons LB Mykal Walker records interception on Thursday night football

The journey of former Falcons linebacker Mykal Walker continues to be an interesting one. After starting 12 games in 2022 and 20 total for the team over his first three years in the league, the former fourth-round pick was released by Atlanta during training camp.

Walker initially got claimed off waivers by the Chicago Bears but was released at the 53-man roster deadline. After a short stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, Walker finally caught on with the Steelers.

During Pittsburgh’s loss to the New England Patriots on Thursday night, the 26-year-old came down with his fourth career interception. Watch below, as shared by the Steelers’ Twitter account.

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Ex-Falcons LB Mykal Walker makes Steelers debut

Ex-Falcons LB Mykal Walker is starting for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11

Former Falcons linebacker Mykal Walker has had a tough couple of months since he was released by the Atlanta Falcons during training camp. Walker was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Bears but didn’t make the 53-man roster.

After that, it was on to Las Vegas for a short stint with the Raiders. Finally, the former fourth-round pick landed in Pittsburgh and was signed to the Steelers’ 53-man roster this past week.

Walker is in line to start for the Steelers in Week 11, per The Athletic’s Michael DeFabo.

Walker, 26, appeared in 49 games with 20 starts during his three seasons in Atlanta, recording 187 total tackles and three interceptions.

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Steelers to start LB Mykal Walker and S Trenton Thompson vs Browns

There will be two new starters on defense this week straight off the practice squad.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Cleveland Browns this week, you better keep your program handy because there are going to be some new names in the starting lineup.

With the rash of injuries at linebacker, practice squad inside linebacker Mykal Walker has leapfrogged Mark Robinson and will be in the starting lineup next to Elandon Roberts.

In the secondary, with Keanu Neal hurt, Triston Thompson gets the call from the practice squad to start next to Damontae Kazee. Kazee is starting in place of Minkah Fitzpatrick who stays sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Walker got the call-up after Kwon Alexander suffered a season-ending injury last week. Alexander started last week in replacement of Cole Holcomb, who suffered a season-ending injury the week before.

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Mykal Walker ready to be the next man up for the Steelers

The Steelers could call up Mykal Walker to the roster very soon.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quietly added former Atlanta Falcons inside linebacker Mykal Walker on October 30. This was prior to the Steelers losing inside linebacker Cole Holcomb for the year to a knee injury. And it was well ahead of the Steelers losing Kwon Alexander for the year with an Achilles injury the following week.

But now, with Holcomb and Alexander on the shelf for the rest of the year, it could be Walker’s time to shine. When Walker spoke to the media on Monday, he sounded like a guy who is ready to be that next man up.

“I’ve always been that guy who had to wait and scrap and fight to get to the top,” Walker said. “If my opportunity is called, I’ll be ready.”

Walker and fellow practice squad inside linebacker Tariq Carpenter should be on notice that they might get the call this week and going forward. The Steelers only have Elandon Roberts and Mark Robinson on the 53-man roster and have carried four all season. Even if Pittsburgh dives into free agency, Carpenter and Walker are the two guys we expect to see rounding out the depth chart for the rest of the season.

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Steelers announce practice squad moves at linebacker

The Steelers made a practice squad move today, signing former Falcons LB Mykal Walker, releasing Caleb Johnson.

Caleb Johnson, we hardly knew ya. The Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad linebacker was given his walking papers as the team brought in former Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears defender Mykal Walker.

Selected by Atlanta in the 2020 NFL draft, he spent three seasons with the team. In 49 games (20 starts), Walker recorded 187 tackles, 11 passes defended, two forced fumbles, a sack and a fumble recovery. He also had three interceptions, one a pick-six.

The Fresno State product most recently spent time on the Chicago Bears and Las Vegas Raiders practice squad.

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Raiders sign DE Isaac Rochell after Chandler Jones placed on NFI list

With Chandler Jones on the NFI list, the Raiders have signed DE Isaac Rochell to the active roster

After Chandler Jones missed the first two games of the season while he works through some personal issues, the Raiders pulled the trigger this week and placed him on the Non-Football Illness list.

Placement on NFI means Jones will miss at least four games. With a roster spot open and depth issues at defensive end, the Raiders officially signed Isaac Rochell to the active roster.

Rochell spent the offseason with the team, and impressed in camp and preseason. He was signed to the practice squad and elevated for the first two games of the season to replace Jones. Now with Jones officially out, Rochell is officially in.

To fill Rochell’s spot on the practice squad, the Raiders added LB Mykal Walker.

What the Bears are getting in new LB Mykal Walker

We spoke to Matt Urben of Falcons Wire to give us a rundown on what we can expect from new Bears LB Mykal Walker.

The Chicago Bears claimed former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Mykal Walker off waivers.

Walker, a former fourth-round pick by Atlanta in 2020, emerged as a starter by his third season. Last season, Walker totaled 107 tackles, including four for a loss, one sack, two interceptions and six pass breakups in 16 games with 12 starts.

Walker was a surprise cut by the Falcons, and the Bears were there to claim him at the top of the waiver wire.

We spoke to Matt Urben of Falcons Wire, who gave us the rundown on what we can expect from the Bears’ new linebacker and why he could be a good fit for Chicago.

Bears claim former Falcons LB Mykal Walker, waive LB Kuony Deng

Mykal Walker had over 100 tackles last for the Falcons and now joins the Bears.

The Chicago Bears are making moves at the linebacker position. On Monday afternoon, the team announced they claimed former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Mykal Walker off waivers and waived linebacker Kuony Deng in a corresponding move.

Walker was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Falcons out of Fresno State, where he rose from a role player to a starter by his third season. In 2022, Walker started 12 games for the Falcons, where he totaled 107 tackles (four for a loss), one sack, two interceptions, and six passes defensed.

Atlanta waived Walker on Sunday in a bit of a surprise move. The Bears are first on the waiver priority list and put in a claim for Walker, taking advantage of an opportunity to bolster their linebacking corps.

With Walker joining the team, the Bears opted to waive Deng, a reserve who has yet to appear in a regular season game. Coincidentally, Deng signed with the Bears late in the 2022 season after spending much of the year with the Falcons on the practice squad.