It "doesn't look good" for Tracy Walker, Dan Campbell said after the Lions starting safety and co-captain was carted off the field in Sunday's loss to the Vikings with an apparent ankle injury.
Now it looks even worse: Walker confirmed Monday via Twitter that he tore his Achilles and is done for the season. It's a major blow to Detroit's already-undermanned defense just three games into the year.
Walker, who committed to the Lions and their rebuild by signing a three-year, $25 million deal in the offseason, was the team's leading tackler through two games. The 2018 draft pick is also Detroit's longest-tenured defensive player.
His absence was glaring on Sunday's decisive play when a blown coverage in Detroit's secondary led to K.J. Osborn's game-winning catch, the product of a miscommunication between backup safety JuJu Hughes and cornerback Mike Hughes.
JuJu Hughes will be one of Detroit's top candidates to replace Walker, along with Ifeatu Melifonwu and/or fourth-round rookie Kerby Joseph, barring an external addition.
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