Derel Walker has kept up the stellar production he showed in his rookie and sophomore CFL seasons.
Edmonton’s star pass catcher is averaging 85.8 yards per game in 2017, which is close to his production (92.5 and 88.2) during year one and two.
Walker was released on Sept. 2 by Tampa Bay and four days later he arrived in Edmonton signing a pro-rated one-year deal for around $70,000.
“I didn’t want to wait, I just wanted to play some ball and that was going to be in Edmonton,” the CFL’s 2015 Most Outstanding Rookie says.
“There was a couple teams but as far as the money goes it’s not always about that with me, I’m young and God willing I’ll play football a long time and make up for the money.”
Familiarity benefitted the Eskimos in bringing Walker back on a contract for the remainder of the 2017 season: he knows the city, feels comfortable and made a lot of friends during two seasons while rising to CFL stardom. Two all-star seasons in Edmonton led to garnering attention from NFL teams.
After a slew of NFL workouts, Tampa Bay stepped up with a contract offer that included a $100,000 signing bonus. Walker made one catch in the pre-season and was released among the Bucs’ final roster trimmings. Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly kept in contact with Walker through the entire process.
“When I heard that things were potentially not going to work out there, I was on the phone texting and calling. First and foremost just because he’s a buddy of mine, anytime something happens with a friend I reach out to them.” Reilly says.
“I said ‘keep your chin up you’re a great football player and things are going to work out for you wherever you end up going.’”
That was Reilly’s first text message.
“After that, I said ‘I hope where you end up here because we’d love to have you back.’ He’s a part of our family here.”
Reilly wasn’t surprised that Walker returned to the CFL quickly based on first-hand experience. He’s gone through the experience of trying to land a somewhat permanent job on an NFL roster that features lots of player turnover.
“It’s a tough lifestyle to live, I was with Pittsburgh and then Green Bay and then St. Louis and then Seattle. When you’re a bubble guy it’s all about the right opportunity at the right time and you have to fit in the right area,” Reilly explains.
High picks get more of a chance with draft capital invested in them, Reilly, like Walker, went undrafted in the NFL.
“You pick up a couple paychecks here then you’re out of work for a month, and then you pickup a couple more paychecks up…that doesn’t pay the bills.”
Since becoming a franchise quarterback in Edmonton, Reilly has seen players that go down to the NFL and see a year or two go by without a proper opportunity. Then when those athletes return to the CFL their position is gone.
That was not the case for Walker, who has made an instant impact in the three-down game with 45 catches for 601 yards and three total touchdowns in seven outings since coming back north. It’s not the exact same offence Edmonton ran last year when Walker ranked second in the CFL with 1,589 receiving yards, but it’s very similar.
“He looks energetic and more fresh than he should,” Reilly says. “He knows how I feel about him, when he’s here he’s going to get the ball thrown his way.”
