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Walker had one of his best games against the 49ers. Can it be a stepping stone?
Quay Walker’s Packers career hasn’t quite lived up to his first-round billing. Explosive and athletic, Walker would have been the perfect sidekick for De’Vondre Campbell had Campbell’s play not fallen off a cliff after signing a rich new contract in 2022 — and if Walker had held up his end of the bargain.
Outside of his spectacular pick-six in Week 1 of the 2023 season, Walker has largely been a liability on defense. His most notable hits have been on non-players, and he’s consistently been a step late in run defense.
Until Sunday, that is.
It was just one game, but Walker was on a tear against the 49ers. Other than dropping an interception (which still ends up as a positive play, for whatever that’s worth), Walker had a stellar day, stuffing numerous San Francisco runs and coming up with a couple of timely pressures as a blitzer. He looked the part of a playmaking first-round pick, and with Edgerrin Cooper out of the lineup with an injury, it came at a perfect time.
Can he build on it? That remains to be seen, but after several seasons of inconsistent performance, any step in the right direction is welcome.
Walker was Pro Football Focus’s top-ranked defender on Sunday and led the Packers in tackles.
If you’ve missed seeing the Packers in primetime, you’re in luck. You’ve got four straight primetime games on tap, with two more potentially coming after that.
Just because he went a whole game without an interception doesn’t mean Love won’t keep slingin’ it.
The Packers are supporting their favorite causes with custom cleats against the Dolphins.
Someone’s going to end up on the naughty list with behavior like that.
