Tag: Tracy Walker

Tracy Walker says he’ll be ready for Lions OTAs

Safety Tracy Walker says he’ll be ready for Lions OTAs as he recovers from a torn Achilles

Tracy Walker continues to offer updates on his recovery from a torn Achilles. The latest one offers real hope that the longtime Lions starting safety will be ready to participate in the team’s offseason activities.

Walker tore his Achilles after just eight plays in the team’s Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. That game was played on September 25th, a little over four months ago.

Walker recently posted a video of his workout and rehabilitation progress. Now he’s moved the needle even further into excited territory.

A Lions fan asked on Twitter if Walker would be ready for the start of the 2023 season. Walker saw it and the safety responded:

OTAs typically start in mid-May, which is another three months out. Seven months would be early to get cleared for full activity from an Achilles tear, but it’s not out of the question.

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Tracy Walker is looking good in his rehab from Achilles surgery

Lions safety Tracy Walker showed off his progress in recovering from a torn Achilles four months after the injury

The Detroit Lions have a few question marks on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. One of those is at safety, where team captain Tracy Walker is coming off a major injury that wiped out most of his 2022 campaign.

Walker tore his Achilles on September 25th in the Lions’ Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The fifth-year vet was Detroit’s leading tackler in 2021 and was one of the few bright spots on the defense early in the season when he suffered the serious injury.

One day under four months out from the Achilles tear, Walker showed off his rehabilitation progress in a social media post.

He’s looking good enough to be encouraged that Walker could be ready to roll at the start of the 2023 season in September, if not earlier.

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Tracy Walker offers a hopeful update on his Achilles rehab progress

Lions safety Tracy Walker offers a hopeful update on his Achilles surgery rehab progress

The recent defensive revival in Detroit has come without one of the team’s leaders being on the field. Safety Tracy Walker has been out since Week 3, when the veteran tore his Achilles in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Walker remains engaged with the team and aggressively rehabbing his surgically repaired leg. Based on his post on Saturday, it seems like things are going very well for Walker some three months out from surgery.

Walker wrote,

“Also for my people who want to know how my recovery going. I’m ahead of schedule on when I come back from my injury so stay tuned!”

From the Lions official social media account:

Getting Walker back at full speed in 2023 would be a great boon for the youthful secondary. He has two years left on his three-year, $25 million contract with the Lions.

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Lions sign LB Anthony Pittman to active roster, place Tracy Walker on IR

Lions sign LB Anthony Pittman to the active roster and place Tracy Walker on IR

The Detroit Lions have signed linebacker Anthony Pittman to the active 53-man roster. Pittman was on the Lions’ practice squad for the first three weeks of the season but has been with the organization since 2019. The Wayne State product played in all 17 games for Detroit in 2021.

Pittman has been elevated from the practice squad in each of the last two weeks and has played extensively on special teams, as well as four defensive reps. Players are allowed to be elevated three times from the practice squad for active gamedays, so signing Pittman ends any concerns about that.

As expected, the Lions placed safety Tracy Walker on the injured reserve list. Walker tore his Achilles tendon in his left leg during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He is out for the season.

Detroit also added WR Josh Johnson to the practice squad to fill Pittman’s spot. Johnson is an undrafted rookie from Tulsa who spent training camp and preseason with the Lions.

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Lions have options to replace injured S Tracy Walker

The Lions have some in-house options but none have much NFL experience

With the unfortunate news that Lions safety and team captain Tracy Walker has a torn Achilles and will miss the rest of the season, the attention turns to how Detroit can replace Walker. The Lions have a few options for the next man up.

The most likely solution is the one Detroit turned to after Walker’s injury on Sunday: Juju Hughes. The veteran stepped into the Walker role and played acceptably in his 63 defensive snaps in Minnesota. Hughes has primarily played on special teams through his two prior NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, but he earned his spot in the defensive rotation with a solid training camp and preseason. His ability to play single-high in Aaron Glenn’s defense makes Hughes the natural choice.

Third-round rookie Kerby Joseph could be in line for a major uptick in playing time. Joseph played exclusively on special teams in the first three weeks even after Walker suffered the injury early in Week 3. The rookie from Illinois offers range and coverage ability but had some struggles with the strength and diversity of the NFL this summer.

Converted cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu has missed the first three games while dealing with a hamstring injury. The injury has slowed his transition, unfortunately, leading the second-year DB to be inactive on Sunday despite finally not carrying an injury designation into the game. Before his injury, Melifonwu was working primarily as a slot safety in big nickel packages, a role Walker typically has not aligned in this year.

Will Harris started next to Walker at safety for most of the last three seasons before Harris moved to outside CB this season. The Lions like Harris more at corner, and no small part of that is because Harris was consistently one of the worst safeties in the league. It would be surprising to see Harris move back unless the other options flop first.

Should the Lions choose to bring in a veteran free agent, there are a couple of notable names in Landon Collins and Jaquiski Tartt. But neither appears to be any better of an option than what the Lions already have in the younger, cheaper players. Collins has been a liability in coverage for several seasons and misses his fair share of tackles.  For his part, Tartt sure sounded content with not playing anymore in a recent interview. It would be quite surprising to see GM Brad Holmes spend money that usurps potential in-house player development on vets who might not be better than what Detroit already has.

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Lions safety Tracy Walker reportedly has a torn Achilles and is out for the season

Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker reportedly tore his Achilles in Week 3 and will be out for the season

The worst fears about the injury to Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker are coming to reality. Walker tore his Achilles tendon early in Detroit’s Week 3 loss to the Vikings in Minnesota. A report from Ian Rapoport indicated Walker’s presumed Achilles tear did indeed happen.

Walker walked off with some assistance from trainers but was quickly carted to the locker room and ruled out for the game with what the Lions termed an ankle injury. After the game, head coach Dan Campbell did not sound optimistic about Walker’s fate without going into detail beyond saying,

“It doesn’t look real good. Obviously it’s the ankle area, possibly the Achilles.”

The injury came on a non-contact play where Walker attempted to burst forward.

Walker, who missed practices last week to be with his newborn baby, will have surgery and miss the rest of the 2022 season.

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Tracy Walker carted off after an early leg injury

Lions safety and team captain Tracy Walker carted off after an early leg injury in Week 3

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What could be a problematic injury situation for the Detroit Lions materialized early in the team’s Week 3 visit to Minnesota. Starting safety and team captain Tracy Walker left the field on a cart after injuring his left leg on the second defensive possession.

Walker went down clutching at his left calf. He walked off under his own power with the assistance of trainers, but shortly thereafter was taken to the Detroit locker room on a cart.

He was replaced in the lineup by Juju Hughes. Backup safety Ifeatu Melifonwu is one of the Lions’ inactive players for the game as he returns from an injury of his own.

Update: Walker has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

Lions vs Commanders: Best and worst PFF grades from Week 2

Here are this week’s best and worst PFF Week 2 performers for the Detroit Lions against the Washington Commanders.

The Detroit Lions secured their first victory of the season against the Washington Commanders with the help of impressive performances in every facet of the field. The grit and fight that the players showed were nothing short of inspirational.

Amon-Ra St. Brown put on a clinic on offense setting NFL records left and right, turning in the Lions top playmaker. Hutchinson secured his first three sacks of his short NFL career so far, while Rodriguez continues to impress for a sixth-round rookie. The coaches are designing and scheming to allow their players to succeed, especially when injuries wreaked havoc on certain areas. Still, they overcame as a team and walked away as the victors.

Here are this week’s best and worst PFF performers for the Lions in Week 2.

Lions vs Eagle: Best and worst PFF grades for Week 1

The Detroit Lions best and worst PFF performers in their Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Surely it wasn’t the start the Detroit Lions were hoping for in their Week 1 home opener. The Lions fought their way back, making it a close contest, but in the end, early mistakes and slow starts led to the downfall against the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.

The offense started very well, scoring on their first drive, but afterward, it came to a screeching halt with the next three drives resulting in three-and-outs and, as a result, gassing the defense as they were having troubles with their own against Jalen Hurts. Afterward, the offense did find their stride, especially through the running game, which had been working throughout the day, and the defense powered through, giving the Lions a shot, but it just wasn’t enough.

In years past, the Lions would’ve called it quits and just let the Eagles continue their onslaught. Not this time. This Detroit squad showed plenty of fight and a lot of grit, which has been the Lions mantra since Dan Campbell took over. Teams are still finding their footing at the beginning of the season, and as long as they clean up the mistakes, the Lions could fight a way to turn out wins.

Here are this week’s best and worst PFF performers for the Lions against the Eagles.

Lions captain Tracy Walker ejected after 2 personal fouls on the same play

Lions safety and team captain Tracy Walker ejected after 2 personal fouls on the same play

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Lions safety Tracy Walker will watch the end of the Week 1 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles from the locker room. Walker was ejected after losing his composure and committing two personal fouls on the same play.

The incident happened in the third quarter of the game, with the Eagles already leading 31-21. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts slid late on a run play and Walker slammed into him. It was immediately flagged for unnecessary roughness on No. 21, though the intent and late nature of Hurts’ slide made that a questionable choice.

Walker left nothing to the imagination with the next one. He threw a punch at an Eagles player, earning the ejection.

Here’s the hit:

Walker was recently selected as a team captain by his fellow Lions players. He was having a very solid game prior to the ejection.