The San Francisco 49ers are signing linebacker Joe Walker to a one-year deal, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. He spent the last two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
The #49ers are signing LB Joe Walker to a one-year deal, source said. Walker took a first-round pick's job last year, started 11 games and had 65 tackles for the #Cardinals. Now, he stays in the NFC West.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 23, 2020
Walker, 27, was more known for his play on special teams but did start the final 10 games of this past season for the Cardinals.
In January, ESPN listed Walker as the Cardinals player who "leveled up" during the 2019 season. Josh Weinfuss wrote the following about the linebacker.
The 2016 seventh-round pick made significant strides in 2019 after being relied upon more this season than he has in his NFL career. ... He was already an athletic linebacker in coordinator Vance Joseph's system, but 2019 showed his on-field improvement.
The Philadelphia Eagles made Walker a seventh-round selection out of Oregon in 2016. The Cardinals signed him from the Eagles' practice squad on September 19, 2018.
Walker registered 65 tackles and a forced fumble through 16 games and 11 starts with Arizona this past season. He could replace linebacker Elijah Lee, who was the only 49ers restricted free agent not tendered a contract. Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and running back Matt Breida, the team's two other restricted free agents, had second-round tenders placed on them.
Adds a little depth at LB but I think this will have more of an impact on special teams. He was a regular on every special team unit for AZ except for FG kick last season. #49ers https://t.co/qiEtxoT5Iw
— Jeff Deeney (@PFF_Jeff) March 23, 2020
Walker has recorded 82 tackles, a pass defensed, and a forced fumble through his three NFL seasons. He spent his first NFL season (2016) on injured reserve after suffering a torn ACL during the preseason.
| Career Statistics | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | G | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | SFTY | PDef | Int |
| 2019 | Cardinals | 16 | 11 | 65 | 41 | 24 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Cardinals | 14 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | Eagles | 12 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 82 | 52 | 30 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||