Buffalo Rumblings
Walker is recovering from an injury diagnosed during the lead-up to the draft.
Buffalo Bills rookie defensive tackle Deone Walker began OTAs with the team in a limited capacity, the same as was true of his rookie minicamp session. General manager Brandon Beane selected the 6’7”, 331-pound Walker with the 109th pick (Round 4) of the 2025 NFL Draft — likely with designs on seeing his long-term development take on that of a nightmare for opposing offenses.
That’s going to take a bit of time, with Walker working through a stress fracture only revealed to him during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine process. The Bills have healthy numbers at defensive tackle, so it isn’t that Walker’s being limited limits Buffalo’s plan at the position. It does, however, reduce the number of reps and on-field learning in which Walker can participate.
Beane revealed during his latest press conference that Walker is likely to be limited throughout the duration of OTAs, mandatory minicamp, and perhaps even into the summer months and training camp. The goal for Buffalo is to have Walker fully recovered from his back injury by Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.
While that news means that Walker could find himself behind his linemates early on in the process, it should allow him to hit the regular season unhindered by the stress fracture — and ready to make up for lost time and opportunity.
