Delanie Walker - Pro Football Rumors

Titans’ Delanie Walker: I Won’t Retire

December 5th, 2019 at 9:52am CST by Zachary Links

Delanie Walker‘s season is over, but he says his career will continue. After being placed on injured reserve, the tight end told the team website (via Twitter) that he intends to play in 2020.

“This is not the end for me,” Walker said.

This has been a frustrating season for the 35-year-old. He started the season as the Titans’ starting tight end, but his surgically-repaired ankle held him back. In 2018, that ankle injury limited him to just one game.

Walker’s season ended after 21 catches for 215 yards and two touchdowns in seven games. Still, he believes he can get back to the form he exhibited from 2014-2017, when he tallied at least 800 yards in each campaign.

In theory, Walker is set to return to the Titans thanks to the two-year, $17MM extension he signed prior to the 2018 season. However, the Titans can get out of the deal pretty easily, if they want to, and put those dollars elsewhere.

The Titans, sans Walker, will face the Raiders on Sunday afternoon. At 7-5, they have a 42% shot at reaching the playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Titans Place Delanie Walker On IR, Sign K Ryan Santoso

November 27th, 2019 at 12:31pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Titans made a pair of roster moves Wednesday. Tennessee is placing tight end Delanie Walker on injured reserve, and signing kicker Ryan Santoso to take his place on the roster, the team announced.

Walker started the season as the Titans’ starting tight end once again, but the 35-year-old was hampered by the ankle that he had surgery on last year. A severe ankle injury cost him all but one game last season, and with the injuries piling up it’s possible this is the end of the road for the longtime veteran. He’ll finish 2019 having played in seven games, with 21 catches for 215 yards and two touchdowns.

Walker has been playing in the league for 14 seasons, and has been with the Titans since 2013. He had at least 800 yards for four straight seasons from 2014 through 2017. He’s under contract for next season, but the Titans can get out of it pretty easily if they want to. He signed a two-year, $17MM extension with $10.5MM guaranteed before last season.

In his absence the team will continue to lean on Jonnu Smith, a third-year player who has flashed a lot of promise. Tennessee also added Santoso, but regular kicker Ryan Succop isn’t going anywhere. The team intends to carry two kickers for now, writes Jim Wyatt of the team’s official site. Santoso is a Minnesota alum who has never kicked in a regular season game. It appears that he’s going to be tasked with handling kickoffs, while Succop continues to kick field goals.

South Notes: Texans, Titans, Lewan, Panthers

August 15th, 2019 at 9:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While it’s still unclear exactly how the Texans will configure their offensive line in 2019, the front five does appear to be rounding into form. At recent practices, Matt Kalil has been taking first-team reps at left tackle while rookie first-round pick Tytus Howard plays left guard, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Zach Fulton is filling in at center for the injured Nick Martin, but once Martin returns, Fulton will continue to battle second-rounder Max Scharping for time at right guard, and the veteran holds the edge in that battle, per Wilson. Seantrel Henderson, who hasn’t started more than one game in a season since 2015, is the top man at right tackle. Houston’s offensive line was one of the NFL’s worst in 2018, ranking 27th in adjusted line yards and dead last in adjusted sack rate, per Football Outsiders.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two South divisions:

After suffering a fractured and dislocated ankle last September, Titans tight end Delanie Walker is working his way back to full strength. Walker expects to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, and in excellent news, he’s likely to play in Tennessee’s second preseason contest, tweets Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. The 35-year-old posted at least 60 receptions and 800 yards in each season from 2014-17, and he’s likely to be a featured part of the Titans offense once again in 2019. Signed to a two-year, $17MM extension last summer, Walker is under contract through 2020.
Panthers defensive end Bryan Cox Jr. was cited on Wednesday for speeding, possession of marijuana, and possession of paraphernalia, reports Blaine Tolison of WSOC (Twitter link). In a statement, the Panthers said they are aware of the incident and are working to gather information (Twitter link via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic). Cos has appeared in 18 games for Carolina over the past two years, playing roughly 200 snaps in each season. In his latest roster projection, David Newton of ESPN.com left Cox off the Panthers’ 53-man squad.
Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan will formally appeal his four-game suspension on August 22, per Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com (Twitter link). Lewan was dealt a ban after violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, but he’s been adamant in his claims that he didn’t purposefully ingest a banned substance, and even took a polygraph test. However, as recent failed appeals by Golden Tate and Robert Quinn have shown, the NFL’s drug policy is extremely unforgiving.

Delanie Walker To Start Training Camp On PUP?

July 8th, 2019 at 10:52am CST by Ben Levine

Delanie Walker was able to achieve his goal of participating in Titans OTAs, but that doesn’t mean the tight end is fully recovered from his dislocated and fractured ankle. The veteran told Sports Illustrated’s Jenny Vrentas that he’s uncertain if he’ll start training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

“I’ll leave that up to the coaches,” the 34-year-old said. “We have great coaches and training staff. They’re probably not going to let me hit the ground running like I want to, but I look forward to getting into my groove.”

It makes sense for the Titans to operate with some caution, especially considering Walker’s age and injury. The tight end will be 35 by Week 1, and he’s also set to play in his 14th NFL season. If the team wants him to replicate the production from his first five seasons in Tennessee, it makes sense to bring him along slowly.

Walker joined the Titans back in 2013, and he earned three-straight Pro Bowl nods between 2015 and 2017. Prior to last season, the team gave the veteran a two-year extension worth $17MM ($12.6MM guaranteed). Walker ranks top-10 in Titans history in receptions, touchdowns, and receiving yards.

If Walker were to miss any time, the Titans would likely lean on former third-rounder Jonnu Smith. The Titans are also rostering tight ends Anthony Firkser, Ryan Hewitt, MyCole Pruitt, and Cole Wick.

Delanie Walker Targeting OTAs Return

February 23rd, 2019 at 3:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Delanie Walker‘s absence limited the Titans’ offense last season. The Pro Bowl tight end missed 15 games, leaving Tennessee low on aerial options.

Walker will also be 35 by Week 1. However, the 14th-year tight end is not planning on retiring. He is eyeing OTAs as a realistic goal to return from the broken ankle he suffered during Week 1 of last season, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com notes.

This target may be more realistic than Walker’s midseason aspiration of being a candidate to come off IR. Tennessee left Walker on IR, which was expected given the nature of his injury. The Titans, however, sorely missed their chain-moving tight end. After getting four straight 800-plus-yard seasons from Walker, the Titans saw their No. 2 pass-catcher — Taywan Taylor — record just 466 receiving yards. Corey Davis led the team with 891, but Marcus Mariota trudged through another unremarkable season (11 touchdown passes, 2,528 passing yards in 14 games).

But Walker does appear to be in line to be back to help the 2019 Titans, who are also likely in the market for wide receiver help. Walker signed a two-year, $17MM extension in 2018 and is under contract through 2020. He is set to make $4.1MM and count $6.33MM against the Titans’ cap next season.

Titans TE Delanie Walker Hopes To Return This Season

November 15th, 2018 at 8:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Titans tight end Delanie Walker was placed on injured reserve in September after suffering a broken ankle and ligament damage in Tennessee’s first game, but the veteran pass-catcher still hopes to return from IR later this season, as he tells Erik Bacharach of the Tennessean.

“In the back of my mind, if I can get healthy earlier where I can come back and play, I’m going to do that,” Walker said. “But like I told you guys, I really don’t know. I don’t know what the time length is going to be. I feel good right now. Could I feel better when the time comes when we’re in the playoffs? Yeah. We’ll see. But right now, I’m just worried about taking it day by day just to get healthy and be able to come back next year. But if I can play this year, I will.”

Frankly, Walker doesn’t seem like a candidate to return from injured reserve, at least based on his other comments to Bacharach. Walker was using a scooter until last weekend, and is only now moving to crutch-based walking. Walker, who said he can’t flex his foot without his walking boot on, also admitted that he’ll essentially have to learn to walk again. Anyone who witnessed the video of Walker’s injury will remember the brutal nature of his break, so it seems unlikely he’ll be able to come back this season.

Walker has been incredibly productive since 2014, as he’s posted at least 60 receptions and 800 yards in every season since. Without him available, the Titans have received virtually nothing from their tight ends. Jonnu Smith has taken over as Tennessee’s starter and played on 81% of the club’s snaps, but he’s managed only 10 receptions on the year (although he has scored in each of the past two weeks).

Titans Place Delanie Walker On IR

September 10th, 2018 at 1:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans confirmed on Monday they will not have Delanie Walker for the rest of this season. They placed their most consistent pass-catcher on IR, and he won’t be returning in 2018, Terry McCormick of TitansOnline.com tweets.

Walker suffered extensive leg damage in Tennessee’s loss Sunday, being carted off the field because of a dislocated ankle. The injuries are even worse, it turns out, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting Monday (via Twitter) Walker suffered a broken ankle and has ligament damage.

Tennessee will promote tight end MyCole Pruitt from its practice squad to replace Walker on the active roster.

This is a brutal blow to a Titans team that’s counted on Walker for years. Despite Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce‘s brilliance, no NFL tight end’s caught more than Walker’s 360 passes since he signed with the Titans in 2013 (h/t Field Yates of ESPN.com, on Twitter). The former Central Missouri standout’s exceeded 800 yards in each of the past four seasons. He was expected to play a key role again for a Titans team transitioning to a new offense and one that doesn’t have a wide receiver as dependable as its tight end.

Walker signed a two-year, $17MM extension in July, but this injury may affect his status as a top-tier tight end. Walker will turn 35 before next season, which would be his 14th in the league. He authored a unique breakout during his age-29 season in 2013 and didn’t begin that 800-plus-yard receiving streak until he was 30. Walker had previously played at least 15 games in each of his five Titans seasons.

In the meantime, Jonnu Smith now steps into the Titans’ top tight end role. A 2017 third-rounder out of Florida International, Smith caught 18 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. More will be expected of the 23-year-old target now.

Delanie Walker Expected To Miss Rest Of Season

September 9th, 2018 at 9:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Delanie Walker was carted off the field during the Titans’ loss to the Dolphins today, and it sounds like the tight end is set to miss the season. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Walker suffered a dislocated ankle and an “associated fracture.” The reporter says the player’s “season is almost certainly over.”

A season-ending injury would certainly be a tough blow for the Titans, who were set to depend on Walker’s offensive production. The 34-year-old had been named to three straight Pro Bowls, and he finished the 2017 campaign with 74 receptions for 807 yards and three scores. The tight end had hauled in four receptions for 52 yards before suffering the injury.

If Walker indeed misses the entire season, the Titans will likely turn to 2017 third-round Jonnu Smith as a starter. The Titans are also rostering Luke Stocker and Anthony Firkser.

Walker wasn’t the only Titans player to suffer an injury on Sunday. Quarterback Marcus Mariota briefly returned to the contest after suffering an injury in the third quarter, but he ended up sitting out the remainder of the game. The injury was being described as an elbow/shoulder injury, and coach Mike Vrabel said the signal-caller would be reevaluated tomorrow.

“I just couldn’t feel my fingers, couldn’t feel my hand,” Mariota told TitansOnline.com. “It was one of those things where I couldn’t grip the ball and all that stuff.”

Meanwhile, left tackle Taylor Lewan was forced out of the game with a concussion after suffering a massive hit from defensive lineman Andre Branch. The hit sparked a brief fight as Lewan was lying motionless on the ground.

Titans, Delanie Walker Agree To Extension

July 27th, 2018 at 1:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans are giving tight end Delanie Walker a two-year, $17MM extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The deal includes an $8MM signing bonus and $12.76MM guaranteed in total.

Walker was set to enter his walk year (no pun intended) with a base salary of $5.4MM. Between the pre-existing season and the two new ones, Walker has himself a three-year pact worth $23.2MM.

Walker has spent the last five seasons with the Titans and earned Pro Bowl nods in each of the last three campaigns. Last year, he hauled in 74 passes for 807 yards and three scores. From 2015-2017, Walker has averaged 78 grabs for 898 yards and five touchdowns.

The tight end will celebrate his 34th birthday in August, but he has shown no signs of slowing down. Walker’s new deal locks him up through 2020 and should allow him to retire as a member of the Titans.

This year, Walker will resume his duties as the Titans’ top tight end, though he may cede some targets to young upstart Jonnu Smith. Smith, who is eleven years Walker’s junior, flashed at times last year and scored two touchdowns in his first month of pro football.

AFC Notes: A. Brown, D. Walker, Tunsil

May 12th, 2016 at 7:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert doesn’t sound like a man who is in a rush to discuss a contract extension with star Antonio Brown.

“He does have two years left and we expect that to be honored without any issue,” the Steelers GM told Mike Florio of Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “Again, Antonio’s a unique player. We understand that and he understands our policies. I don’t ever see that changing as long as we still have the mindset that it’s been good for the organization. Again we understand that he’s a special player and we’re glad we have him for two more years anyway.”

As Florio notes, Steelers usually don’t extend players with more than two years to go on their deals, unless those players are quarterbacks. However, one has to imagine that an exception could be made for Brown given his status as one of the league’s most dangerous offensive players.

Here are a few more odds and ends from across the AFC:

Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link) has some additional details on Delanie Walker‘s new contract with the Titans. The tight end dropped his base salary in 2016 from $4.275MM to $2.7MM. He’ll have base salaries of $4.2MM in 2017 and $5.4MM in 2018.
Mark Schlabach and Nicole Noren of ESPN’s Outside the Lines have provided an update on the draft-night hacks to Dolphins offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil‘s social media accounts. The duo reports that Ole Miss officials have determined that a text message conversation published to Tunsil’s Instagram was legit — the conversation included Tunsil asking Ole Miss assistant athletic director John Miller for money to pay his rent and his mother’s utility bill.
Mike Tanier of Bleacher Report argues that the Colts should act now to lock up quarterback Andrew Luck for the long term, even if it means making him the league’s highest-paid player after a disappointing, injury-plagued 2015 season.