NFL careers are, as a rule, short. That makes it difficult for any talented player to wait around for a shot, as Mykal Walker has had to do. The 2020 fourth round pick came into the NFL with intriguing ability, but played a reserve role at linebacker through his first two seasons with starters entrenched in front of him. It probably felt like a long wait.
Sometimes the wait is worth it, both for player and for team, and there’s reason to believe Walker’s stepping into a starting job and appears poised for a breakout season, as he’s taking on the defensive play calls in place of departed linebacker Foye Oluokun.