Mykal Walker has spent enough time proving people wrong to know that a strong camp can change the conversation fast.
The veteran linebacker has been one of the New York Jets’ most noticeable performers this summer, flashing on defense and special teams only months after signing a one-year prove-it deal. Walker turns 29 later this month, but he’s playing like a man determined to make the next chapter matter.
Friday’s practice offered another example. According to the New York Post, Walker intercepted Bailey Zappe, giving him a pick in back-to-back days. He also came down with an errant throw from rookie and fan favorite Cade Klubnik on Thursday.
For Jets fans, Walker’s last name may carry a strange bit of baggage. He is the cousin of Maurice Jones-Drew, the former Jaguars star whose decision not to score late in a 2009 game in the Meadowlands still lingers in some memories. Jones-Drew, a three-time Pro Bowler, chose to stay short of the goal line in the final seconds, allowing Jacksonville to run out the clock and set up a game-winning field goal without giving Mark Sanchez and the Jets another chance.
The context around that moment feels like another era entirely. The Jets were a playoff team then; now they are trying to find their first winning record since 2015. Walker, meanwhile, would have been middle school-aged at the time and is already heading into his seventh season.
His production last year was solid if unspectacular: 31 tackles and a pass breakup in 14 games, including five starts. He has not been a full-time starter since 2022, his final season with the Falcons, and his career numbers reflect a player who has made more of an impact through steadiness than splash plays. In 88 games, he has eight tackles for loss and one sack.
That profile was not always viewed as especially promising. Before the 2020 draft, NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein pegged Walker as a bottom-of-the-roster or practice squad type, even while acknowledging the chance he could help on special teams.
“As an inside linebacker, his instincts and awareness help take him where he needs to go, but the football movements are too stiff and mechanical and will make it tough to carry the production over as a pro,” Zierlein wrote.
Walker has outlasted that kind of projection, and now he has another opening to show he still belongs. A multi-year deal may not be waiting around the corner, but he has given himself a real chance to stay in the mix.
And if there’s one thing the league keeps teaching, it’s not to overlook special teams value. James Pierre, Walker’s former Steelers teammate, went undrafted in 2020 and eventually developed into a respected special teams player. He is now with the Vikings and expected to contribute on both defense and special teams.
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Adonai Mitchell Is Making The Jets Look Very Smart Right Now
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For the Colts, the timing has only made the move sting more. Josh Downs and Alec Pierce are dealing with injuries, and the offense has already been through enough turmoil this season with quarterback injuries and a missed playoff push after high expectations. So when fans see Mitchell flashing in Jets camp, it is not hard to understand why some of them are wondering what might have been. [Read more 🡒]
Cade Klubnik Just Changed The Jets Backup QB Conversation
Cade Klubnik made a real impression during a recent Jets scrimmage, giving the quarterback room a different kind of energy in a practice that had its share of splash plays. The rookie turned heads with a deep shot that nearly went the distance, and he helped keep the offense moving in a session where Bailey Zappe also flashed, including a long scoring throw to undrafted rookie DT Sheffield.
Klubniks day was not spotless, and neither was Zappes, which is part of why the backup conversation still feels unsettled rather than answered. Both quarterbacks had mistakes, and the defense showed some cracks too, leaving the Jets with a practice tape that offered encouragement, a few warnings and more than enough for the coaching staff to sort through before the next round of reps. [Read more 🡒]
Former Jets Fan Favorite Bryce Hall Just Got Another NFL Chance
Bryce Hall is getting another look from an NFL team, a reminder that former Jets defenders can still find their way back into the league even after the road gets bumpy. The cornerback, once a fan favorite in New York, was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft and spent four seasons with the organization before injuries and competition squeezed his role.
A report from KPRC2s Aaron Wilson says Hall recently worked out for Houston, giving him a chance to reinsert himself into an NFL conversation. It is still unclear whether anything comes of the workout, but for a player whose career in New York was derailed by attrition as much as anything, simply getting another opportunity is a notable step. [Read more 🡒]