The Calgary Stampeders were set to sign defensive lineman Ricky Walker at the start of free agency on Tuesday. However, according to 3DownNation’s John Hodge, Walker will not sign a contract with the Stampeders or any CFL team due to personal reasons as he mulls his future in football.
Ricky Walker is six foot two and weighs 287 pounds. The 27-year-old from Newport News, Virginia, made 37 tackles and five sacks in 17 games for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2023. The Blue Bombers signed Walker as a free agent on February 18, 2021. In three seasons, Walker has 59 tackles, one tackle on special teams, and seven sacks in 36 games. Walker is a member of the 2021 Blue Bombers Grey Cup championship team.
Before Winnipeg, Walker signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2019. In 2020, he played for the Tampa Bay Vipers (XFL) with eight tackles (2 solo, 6 assists) in three games before the XFL ceased operations due to the pandemic. After Tampa Bay, Walker signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2020.
Collegiately, Walker played five seasons at Virginia Tech (2014-18) with 127 tackles (53 solo, 74 assists), 30.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, six pass breakups, 14 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery in 51 games for the Hokies.
