What you should know about new Dolphins linebacker Anthony Walker
The Dolphins are adding linebacker Anthony Walker from the Cleveland Browns on a one-year deal via free agency.
Walker, who’s from Miami, will turn 29 in August. He’s a 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker taken in the fifth round (161st overall) by Indianapolis in 2017.
A closer look at Walker:
Triple-digit tackles are Anthony Walker’s trademark
Walker is one of two linebackers the Dolphins added this week who have three seasons with at least 100 tackles. The other is Jordyn Brooks.
Walker had 105 tackles in 2018, 124 in 2019 and 113 in 2021.
For his career, he has 26 tackles for loss.
Pro Football Focus rated him 31st among linebackers in 2023. He graded higher for pass coverage than run support.
Over most of his career, Walker also has played about one-fourth to one-third of his team’s special teams snaps each year.
More: What you should know about new Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks
He has had his share of injuries
Walker hasn’t played an entire season since 2020.
In 2021, he landed on injured reserve because of a hamstring problem.
In 2022, he was on IR because of a quad injury.
In 2023, he went on IR with a knee.
Over his career, he has missed an average of 4.3 games per season. Over the past three seasons, that number has jumped to 7.6.
The 2022 injury wasn’t without controversy. Walker was hit by Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Chukwuma Okorafor. Actually, Walker was hit twice by Okorafor, which is where the problem came in. The first hit looked like a routine football play, although it was hard enough that Walker was left sprawled, face down on the ground. For whatever reason, Okorafor still dove on Walker a second time.
Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett called it “a bull (expletive) play.”
A Man of the Year nominee for community service
Walker just finished his third season with the Browns and second as a team captain.
In 2023, the Browns voted him their nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for work both on the field and in the community.
Walker was named ambassador for the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network, encouraging students to stay in school. Walker’s father was an educator and football coach. Walker’s alma mater is Northwestern University. He also attended Miami-Pace.
Check out what they said when Walker left Indy
The combination of Walker’s character and play left a void when he departed from Indianapolis to join the Browns.
“I’m about to cry,” linebacker Darius Leonard wrote on social media.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard told The Indianapolis Star, “I’ve got a special relationship with Anthony Walker. Selfless, team guy, rare leader. I hope he gets into coaching or scouting one day. Mark my words, Anthony Walker, if he gets into coaching, will be a head coach in the National Football League someday. And he if gets into scouting, he’ll be a general manager. He’s brilliant.”
It’s (almost) like hitting the lottery
Walker wore No. 4 for the Browns, which turned out to be a lucky number.
When Cleveland traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson, it raised the question of which player would get to keep No. 4.
Watson, of course, has it now. Walker agreed to switch to No. 5.
And so one day, Watson walked up to Walker and handed him a Rolex to say thank you. He also donated $50,000 to Walker’s father’s high school football team.
The twist: Walker never asked Watson for anything. He even texted Watson immediately when news broke he was joining the Browns, welcoming him to Cleveland.
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: What you should know about new Miami Dolphins linebacker Anthony Walker
