We haven’t heard much from Tennessee Titans outside linebacker D’Andre Walker since he was placed on Injured Reserve last August, forcing him to miss his entire rookie campaign.
Walker was the Titans’ fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and it was disappointing to say the least when we found out the team would have to wait another year to see what he could do on the football field.
On Wednesday, Walker expressed his excitement to re-join the team and play in 2020.
I Miss Playing !!! Can’t Wait To Get Back On The Field https://t.co/xUtE2AFWIg
— D'Andre Walker (@DAndreWalker15) February 26, 2020
During his NFL Combine presser, general manager Jon Robinson praised Walker’s work ethic in his rehab and is ‘excited’ to see what he can do, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.
“He’s been working hard,” Titans general manager Jon Robinson, speaking from the NFL Combine, said of Walker. “He had the injury there and lost the season, but he’s been attacking the rehab process. I’ve seen him out on the field working with our trainers. He’s in good shape. He looks good. I know he’s itching to get back and show what he’s capable of doing. We’re excited to work with him this spring whenever the players can come back.”
Head coach Mike Vrabel also shared his thoughts on Walker at his combine presser, per Wyatt.
“I loved his attitude,” Vrabel said of Walker. “He was excited to learn. I think we needed to get him healthy and get him right. From what I’ve seen at the end of the season when he was training and working with Frank on the side and the trainers, it looks like a player we’ll be able to work with there in April and see where he’s at.”
The Titans have an interesting situation with Walker. As the team looks for help in the pass-rushing department for 2020, the Georgia product is a bit of a wild card.
While we don’t know what to expect from Walker, he could provide a much-needed boost to a Titans pass-rush that totaled just 43 sacks last season, which was slight more than the 39 the team finished with in 2018.
However, that shouldn’t — and won’t — stop the Titans from exploring every avenue possible to improve in that area. Walker should be looked at as depth for now, and nothing more.