Skip to main content

Broncos 2020 Roster Breakdown: DeMarcus Walker | DL

DeMarcus Walker is facing a make-or-break year, not only for his future with the Broncos but in the NFL. What awaits him competition-wise and is this a former high-round draft pick that can be salvaged?

Each summer, Mile High Huddle goes player by player to break down the Denver Broncos' roster. That’s right, all 90 of them.

We'll scrutinize each player's history, dating back to college, and what they bring to the 2020 Broncos. Next up? DeMarcus Walker, the team's 2017 second-round draft pick.

It has been a long and winding road for Walker during his time with the Broncos. When he was drafted, it was to be a defensive lineman, a 3/5-technique specifically, but other issues arose. 

Walker picked up a very virulent bug and got sick, which led to a massive weight loss. Then the injury bug struck the Broncos edge rusher room, so the team switched him from a down-lineman to a rush linebacker. He didn't take very well to that role, but it got him some reps while he worked on putting weight back on. 

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Eventually, Walker was moved back to being that 3/5-technique defensive lineman he was drafted to be. There have been some impressive plays from Walker but he has struggled to hold up consistently and hold up as a run defender. 

His situation crystallized in 2019 when Walker had recovered from an injury only to go on as a healthy scratch down the stretch. From then on, he barely saw the field and was effectively replaced in the rotation by a player out-performing him. 

Combined with the fact that he's entering a contract year, those series of events have made it clear that this is Walker’s last chance and with the talent Denver has on its defensive line, it doesn’t bode well the former Florida State Seminole. For a deep-dive on Walker, check out the video above.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel and @MileHighHuddle