The Detroit Lions released veteran safety Tracy Walker III on Tuesday. The team confirmed the move via their official social media pages.
Releasing Walker will result in $5.5 million salary cap savings for the Lions. He had one year left on his contract and was set to earn $7.95 million in base salary in 2024.
Walker played in all 17 games last season, making six starts. He finished the campaign with 59 tackles, 1.0 sacks, two passes defended, and one forced fumble.
After the news was made official, Walker shared a goodbye note to Lions fans on Instagram.
“I want to thank my fans and supporters for always having my back through it all. I want to thank the city for holding down for me,” he wrote.
With Walker out of the building, the Lions find themselves short on a safety position, considering that starter C.J. Gardner-Johnson is headed to free agency. They currently have former corner Ifeatu Melifonwu and 2022’s third-year player Kerby Joseph as the only remaining safeties on the roster.
The Lions selected Tracy Walker III with the third-round pick in 2018. He was a strong presence in the team’s secondary throughout his first four seasons as a pro, but an ACL injury in 2022 derailed his career. Walker compiled 398 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 23 passes defended, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles in 79 games with the franchise.
