Restricted.
The numbers are in.
The Bucs’ most impactful Bucs defensive player on a per-snap basis — and possibly overall — played just 28 snaps yesterday against the Steelers in an overtime loss. That doubled his season average!
Joe is referring to David Walker, the second-year edge rusher who is living up to the hype but continues to be restricted by Todd Bowles.
“I put on the film and I watch David Walker — and he’s only getting what, 30 or 35 snaps a game, maybe that. — every single one of them is a meaningful snap, dude. Like he impacts games like every time he’s on the field,” [Bucs legend Rondé Barber said last week](https://www.joebucsfan.com/2026/10/ronde-barber-illustrates-a-bucs-pass-rush-frustration/).
Of course, Barber was wrong on the snaps numbers because disbelief is the standard and sane reaction to Walker not playing more. Before Sunday, Walker was averaging 14 snaps per game.
Yesterday, Walker played only 35 percent of the defensive snaps and logged his third and fourth sacks of the season. Nobody else on the Bucs has more than one sack. And yes, Walker has shown he can play the run and drop in coverage successfully.
The irony of Walker riding the bench too often is the significant offseason hype of Walker by Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht — and further irony is Barber is paid by the Buccaneers to break down film.
Joe wonders if Licht is punching pillows and inhaling sedatives thinking about where the Bucs, masters of close game losses, might be in the standings if Walker simply was allowed to play more often. And that’s time Walker earned not only this season, but throughout training camp.