New Bucs inside linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. have been brought in. That’s an area where the Bucs struggled a lot last season and need to be desperately improved. It’s not yet known what exact role Walker will have, but he’s ready for everything and ready to take as much responsibility as possible.
“Mike’s linebacker has always been a defensive quarterback,” Walker said. “There’s a lot of demands from you, a lot of things and I enjoy the job. That’s the position I came to love when I arrive at university where I switched from DB to linebacker and played it. The job that comes with work, I want to do the job, I did it.
Bucs Ilb Anthony Walker watches the game through “many lenses”
Bucs Ilb Anthony Walker Jr. – Photo: USA Today
As Walker stated, he was playing a defensive back before moving on to Northwestern’s inside linebacker. However, his understanding of pass coverage goes far further than that. Walker’s dad, Anthony SR, was an offensive coach at his high school. Walker Jr. himself played the quarterback in the offense. His ability to break down the game was much smoother for him than the others.
“I was very fortunate to be able to see a lot of different lenses of games,” Walker said. “My dad was an offensive coach and head coach at my high school, and he’s been defending and obviously attacking, growing up and playing quarterback in high school. I got a lot of lenses to watch the game.
“I think that’s where it all starts for me. I think we can handle what we’re trying to achieve in defense and how the attacks attack us and beat them to punch knowing that we can only attack certain parts of the field.”
Walker has four career interceptions and 21 pass breakups over eight seasons. Hope is for the back where he can lean a little more on it This season.
Another Walker Jr. begs everyone to see the tape
After Bucs media spoke with Walker via Zoom on Wednesday afternoon, it’s clear he’s a player he’s proud of. When the ball is thrown around his path or even the area he covers, he makes it personal. He knows what he has to do with the Bucs and what they expect from him.
“Defense is knowing where your spot is and everyone knows where your spot is,” Walker says. “I understand how crime can attack and make sure I limit those benefits when I throw it there. Obviously, it starts with doing my job. My job is to cover the center of the field.”
Bucs Ilb Anthony Walker Jr. – Photo: USA Today
“I take pride in not allowing you to throw the ball deep into me or deep into me. That’s my job, that’s my job, that’s my job, that’s what the defensive call is, and whether it’s me a blitz, I’m dropping coverage, or stopping a run, I just want to do your job.”
Walker may know a lot about the reporting, but his focus performance in the pro football doesn’t necessarily agree with him. He scored an overall grade of 48.0 on the internal linebacker, with a run-stop grade of 69.5 but a pass defense grade of 39.1. Walker took it to mention those who criticized him on social media.
“Everything about social media and people see everything, like ‘Oh, his PFF grade’,” Walker said. That’s what I feel. ”
If anything, the Bucs have some motivated players this year.
