3 questions with Who Dat Dish on Tyrunn Walker
By Mike Payton
On Thursday night the Lions signed former New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker.
Lion ink young ascending DT Tyrunn Walker to a one-year deal. http://t.co/Rm3qKfpfH8
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) March 13, 2015
Walker is still a relatively unknown player in the NFL and not much is known about him outside of New Orleans. With that in mind I decided to get some answers. I got in touch with Who Dat Dish Editor Andrew Schuster to find out what the Lions really got in Tyrunn Walker.
DJC: What is the one thing about Tyrunn Walker that Lions fans should be excited about?
WDD: “Well, aside from safety Rafael Bush, Tyrunn Walker may have quite possibly been the most underrated defensive player on the New Orleans Saints, adding solid depth on the line. In just one start over a 23-game span, the Louisiana native recorded 28 tackles, 3.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. He was probably the best interior pass rusher we had. To answer your question, his pass rushing ability hands down”
DJC: What should Lions fans worry about?
WDD: “There really isn’t much to be worried about with Walker. He had some serious competition with Cam Jordan and Akiem Hicks in the mix. He’s got starter potential written all over him. Here’s a cool stat for you – PFF had a +8.0 grade on him, which was good for second on the Saints among defensive lineman”
Which team got the better end of the deal? Was Walker a steal or Did the Saints make the right move by letting him walk?
WDD: “The Lions ABSOLUTELY got the steal here. I was disappointed to hear that the Saints failed to tender Walker. Again, he added very solid depth behind Pro Bowl DE Cam Jordan and Akiem Hicks. With all the craziness in the Big Easy over the past week or so, letting him walk was one of the bigger let downs. With Suh and Fairley gone, the Detroit Lions should be happy to have Tyrunn Walker on their side. He could compete immediately”
Sep 22, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Tyrunn Walker (75) against the Arizona Cardinals during a game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Cardinals 31-7. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
There you have it. For me Tyrunn Walker could turn out to be the next George Johnson. A guy that has floated under the radar and turned it on in the right scheme. Although with Walker there seems to be a lot of praise going around for him
You’ve probably never heard of new Lions DL Tyrunn Walker. I hadn’t either. The amount of interest by smart personnel people was staggering
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2015
Walker could turn out to be the Lions smartest grab off the offseason. With a cap hit of $1,750,000 Per Spotrac, He is also a cheap addition that can be let go after one year if he doesn’t work out, and the Lions won’t be left holding the bag. This was a great under the radar signing by the Lions.
What do you think? Leave your comments below and be sure to follow us on twitter @DetroitJockCity or @Lionmike26 and for Saints news follow Andrew Schuster @ShootsMcgavin
Thank you to Andrew and Who Dat Dish.