According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Detroit Lions hosted free agency defensive end DeMarcus Walker for a free agency visit last week. Walker is currently scheduled for another free agency visit with the Giants on Thursday.
Walker was originally a second-round draft pick for the Denver Broncos in 2017. He would spend all four years of his rookie contract with the Broncos, and posted 8.5 sacks in his final two seasons in Denver. He would spend the next two years with the Texans and Titans. After tallying 7.0 sacks in Tennessee, he earned a three-year, $21 million free agency deal with the Chicago Bears. After producing 7.0 sacks in 34 games with Chicago, the Bears released him this February, saving them $5.25 million in cap.
Walker was one of the remaining defensive end free agents we profiled last month as good fits for the Lions. At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, Walker has the size and physicality to hold the edge in the run game, but he also brings a decent amount of pass rush. That includes potentially sliding inside to defensive tackle, where he flashed his versatility with Chicago.
It’s unclear if Walker is still in the mix for Detroit considering he’s visiting other teams now. However, it could mean he’s simply weighing all of his options still.
Regardless, it shows the Lions are still potentially adding to their defensive end room. That should come as no surprise, considering coach Dan Campbell said last week at the owners meetings that they aren’t done adding to the defensive line.
“We feel good about where we’re at, and we’re not done, either,” Campbell said. “That’s the point: We’re not done. We don’t know when. Maybe it will be the draft. We’re looking at everything. It could be after the draft. It could be any time.”