The veteran player with a $25 million contract on the Detroit Lions is being labeled as a potential candidate for release.
During the 2023 season, Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker faced the loss of his starting position. As the offseason unfolds, there’s a possibility he could lose his spot on the roster as well.
On February 19, NFL.com’s Matt Okada identified Walker as a potential candidate for release in a list of NFC roster cut prospects. Despite the Lions having a healthy cap situation for 2024, Okada suggested that if the team needs to create additional cap space, Walker might be a viable option. He highlighted Walker’s limited starts (six games out of 17) and a high passer rating allowed in primary coverage (123.8 per PFF) during the previous season.
If designated as a post-June 1 cut, releasing Walker could free up $8 million in cap space for the Lions, a team on the verge of Super Bowl contention.
Walker is entering the final season of a three-year, $25 million contract signed before the 2022 season, and his cap hit for 2024 is approximately $12.8 million.
Several analysts, including Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac and Christian Booher of SI.com’s All Lions, have also raised the possibility of Walker being cut by the Lions this offseason. Ginnitti included Walker in his “All-Bubble NFL Team,” a list of players from various positions around the league who could be potential cuts.
Booher highlighted that Walker was relegated to a bench and special teams role towards the end of the previous season. Despite starting six games, the team transitioned to Ifeatu Melifonwu, who made a compelling case for a starting role in the secondary.
In terms of performance, Walker posted 34 combined tackles and 2 pass defenses in six starts, earning a PFF player grade of 62.8 for the season, ranking 66th out of 104 safeties. In comparison, Melifonwu registered an 82.1 player grade for the entire season, demonstrating a strong case for his starting role.
While the Lions are in a solid cap situation with over $48 million in cap space, creating additional room by releasing Walker could prove beneficial, especially with needs at edge rusher, cornerback, and guard, along with potential contract extensions for key players. Defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike and defensive end John Cominsky are also mentioned as potential cut candidates, with the Lions able to save $9.8 million by releasing both Walker and Onwuzurike.
