Detroit Lions re-sign S Tracy Walker, content keeping defense together for now

Tracy Walker's dalliance with free agency was a short one.

Walker agreed to a three-year contract to stay with the Detroit Lions on Monday shortly after the open of the NFL free agent negotiating period.

Walker was a priority for the defensive back-needy Lions to sign this offseason. The 27-year-old is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, when he made a team-leading and career-high 108 tackles, after a down year in 2020.

The Lions are still in need of a second starting safety to pair with Walker, and could use veteran insurance at cornerback with Amani Oruwariye, Jeff Okudah and Jerry Jacobs all coming off season-ending injuries.

"Glad to be back," Walker wrote in a story on Instagram.

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The Lions, coming off a 3-13-1 season, have kept most of last year's roster together so far in free agency.

Along with Walker, they re-signed starting middle linebacker Alex Anzalone for one year and agreed to a one-year deal with backup quarterback Tim Boyle.

Previously, the Lions re-signed restricted free agents Jason Cabinda, C.J. Moore, Josh Woods and Evan Brown.

Of the Lions' eight remaining unrestricted free agents, last year's sack leader, Charles Harris, is considered the only high-priority player to re-sign. Defensive lineman Nick Williams, linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, safety Dean Marlowe, return man Kalif Raymond, receiver KhaDarel Hodge and injured offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby and defensive linemen Joel Heath also will be free agents at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

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The Lions hope to sign a receiver in free agency to bolster their offense.

Walker, who had one interception and six pass breakups in 15 games last season, credited his turnaround season to the comfort level he found playing in a new system and for new coaches Dan Campbell, Aaron Glenn and Aubrey Pleasant.

Walker said after the season he hoped to stay with a Lions team that took him in the third round of the 2018 draft, and Pleasant echoed that sentiment at the Senior Bowl in February.

"Both him and I believe, for as good as his year was, there is vast room for improvement,” Pleasant said. “And I think collectively, if we get a chance to maybe work together again in the future, maybe you guys can see the same progression that maybe you’ve seen over the past year."

If the Lions do not add another starting-caliber safety in free agency, they can look to address the position early in the draft.

Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton is a considered a possibility with the No. 2 pick, though no safety has gone that high in 31 years. And at least three other safeties — Michigan's Dax Hill, Penn State's Jaquan Brisker and Georgia's Lewis Cine — are projected to go near the Lions' second and third picks, No. 32 and 34 overall.

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"Because of the way we play defensively, we really ask our safeties to do a lot of things, not only in the run fits, in pass coverage, blitzing, playing in the middle of the field or half-field safety,” Pleasant said. “So really you need some versatility, you got to have some really, really good leadership qualities and you’ve got to have some ball production."

Contract details

According to Pro Football Network, Walker received a $6.965 million signing bonus as part of the deal and has base salaries of $1.035 million in 2022, $8.95 million in 2023 and $7.75 million in 2024. 

Walker will count just $3.36 million against the salary cap this fall. His contract includes nearly $17 million in practical guarantees, with $8 million of his 2023 salary fully guaranteed at signing. He also has a $100,000 Pro Bowl incentive annually.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.