Walker, who ranked No. 19 overall and was the top remaining player available on Gregg Rosenthal’s top 101 free agents list at the time of the deal, rose to the occasion in Green Bay as a seventh-round pick turned starting left tackle the past three seasons — starting every game for the Packers in 2025 except Week 18, when the team rested many first-stringers.
The 26-year-old’s durability figures to be greatly valued in Carolina after the Panthers experienced a number of injuries along the offensive line in 2025. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu was the latest blow after he suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in the Panthers’ wild-card loss to the Rams.
Walker could fill that role should Ekwonu not be ready for the start of the 2026 season, and he has an opportunity to cash in next year with a successful campaign this upcoming season.