The weekly announcement of the inactive-players list, released 90 minutes before an NFL game, is usually a formality. It’s often comprised of injured players who had already been ruled out earlier in the week or of healthy scratches at positions where a team has ample depth.
But for DeMarcus Walker, on Oct. 30, it was something else. It was an alarm bell.
After dressing into his No. 57 jersey during the first six games of the season, the rookie outside linebacker from Florida State was forced to stand on the sideline in Kansas City in a heavy coat and sweat pants, landing on the inactive list for the first time as a pro.