Seahawks Sign Derek Walker to Practice Squad

by John Morgan on Sep 15, 2009 7:52 PM PDT

Derek Walker was considered a finished product by scouts. That's a double edged sword in scout speak. Yes, knowing how to play football is nice, but everyone wants the next Antonio Gates. The player that doesn't know how to play football, but turns out to be natural. A finished product isn't expected to develop. They will take their relatively small talent and take their generous skills and play for a preseason before getting cut. Mike Hass is a finished product.

Ironically, Walker joins Hass on the Seahawks practice squad. There they can hone their finished skills and hope maybe they're not so finished. Hass is probably playing out his time before he signs somewhere as a wide receivers coach. Walker can still hope for better.

He's a big kid and his future lies in playing strongside defensive end or bulking up and playing tackle. On another roster, he could rotate as a 3-4 end. Walker is a little tall for tackle, and whether that is truly meaningful or not, it's meaningful for how coaches view him. He would have to play an under or three-tech tackle. Walker doesn't need to be told that making the 53 man roster is no guarantee he ever makes an NFL team. He just needs to keep carrying helmets and kicking ass, and keep hoping scouts missed something big looking for the next big thing.

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So is he as a finished product just not good enough for the NFL

Or are we that loaded at DE?

by MT Olson on Sep 15, 2009 8:45 PM PDT reply actions

To be determined.

by John Morgan on Sep 15, 2009 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions

I liked Derek Walker.

If Nick Reed and Michael Bennett didn’t put up Madden stats, he would have been this year’s Justin Forsett.

by LantermanC on Sep 15, 2009 10:04 PM PDT up reply actions

not sure who he replaces, but in even smaller potato news

Brian De La Puente was signed to the practice squad. He joined the team Aug. 25, but was released on the final roster cut.

To clear a spot, offensive lineman Blake Schlueter was released.

http://blog.seahawks.com/2009/09/15/tuesday-in-hawkville-3/

by B.B.Finnegan on Sep 15, 2009 9:08 PM PDT reply actions

I agree that what you see is what you get with Walker

but he aint chopped liver and could be a useful rotation guy in the right scheme with the right team

by southern oregon on Sep 15, 2009 10:56 PM PDT reply actions

Great news.

I’m very surprised someone else didn’t pick him up.

It's Great to be a Florida Gator!

09/05
Terminated contracts
S Brian Russell

by Wayward Llama on Sep 16, 2009 3:32 AM PDT reply actions

tons of guys out there like him

when I saw him in college I thought he was a 3-4 end or a 4-3 DT. I don’t see burst, but he plays the run well.

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Sep 16, 2009 4:27 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm just glad Bennett wasn't enough like him.

And given our depth at DL, which seems to be very good, it makes Walker not making it on the 53 sting a bit less than it otherwise would have.

Early prospect watch: RB C.J. Spiller, QB Jevan Snead, OT Ciron Black, DT Gerald McCoy, S Eric Berry, DT Ndamukong Suh, CB Ras-I Dowling 6'2, 200, RB Jonathan Dwyer

by Misfit74 on Sep 16, 2009 9:13 AM PDT up reply actions

DelaPuente

What’s interesting is the media release on Seahawksmedia.com says the Seahawks added Brian De La Puente to the ps, not Derek Walker.

by Hawkstorian on Sep 16, 2009 8:13 AM PDT reply actions

Added both.

by John Morgan on Sep 16, 2009 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions

Looks like 2 transactions

According to Mora’s PC this morning -

Walker replaced Jamar Adams. De La Puente replaced Schuling

Bummer about Adams. I remember having so much hope for either him or Greene, now both are gone. Obviously, the bright side is so is Russell. But I’m still nervous about having just Milloy as depth.

"I'm tired of chasing after my dreams. I'll just find out where they're going, and catch up later." - Hedberg

by jteckmann on Sep 16, 2009 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions

Remember too, that...

if they don’t get picked up anywhere else, and someone goes down, they will be on speed dial.

But honestly, they’re pretty much fungible, otherwise they’d still be here…

Mancrushed. Jake Locker for Heisman 2010.

by Tyler Jorgensen on Sep 16, 2009 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions

Bizzarre that we cannot find quality safety play on the open market

not that anyone is doing anything wrong… more like, who knew a “replacement level” safety would be so hard to find? it’s been harder than finding a legit long snapper.

i get that no one is leaving laron landrys just lying around on the street. it just seems like the only decent safeties are already starting somewhere. the quality of the depth seems to be severely lacking leaguewide.

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Sep 16, 2009 12:43 PM PDT reply actions