Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. clearly does not think much of Pro Football Focus, joining a whole group of NFL fans that have expressed disdain for the polarizing outlet.
The Buccaneers signed Walker in NFL free agency last week, and during his introductory press conference with the team on Wednesday, he mentioned his rather unsatisfactory PFF grade with the Miami Dolphins in 2024.
“I see all the stuff on social media and everything where people be like, ‘Oh, his PFF grade,’ and all that. I’m here to tell you can watch the film,” Walker said, via JoeBucsFan. “The ball does not get completed behind me or in front of me in the middle of the field.”
Walker registered 48 overall grade at Pro Football Focus this past year and posted an absolutely brutal 39.1 coverage grade. He was ranked toward the bottom of all qualifying linebackers in both categories.
Here’s the thing, though: in previous years, PFF ranked Walker as an exceptional coverage linebacker. As a matter of fact, while with the Cleveland Browns in 2022, Walker recorded a 90 coverage grade, which was second among all players at his position.
And that is one of the primary reasons why Pro Football Focus has come under such fire: consistency. The wild swings in player grades each season has understandably caused considerable controversy, and as Walker noted, sometimes, you really do have to go by the eye test rather than just reading statistics off a sheet.
Walker totaled 68 tackles, a sack and an interception during his time with the Dolphins this past year, playing in 60 percent of Miami’s defensive snaps.
The 29-year-old spent the first four years of his career with the Indianapolis Colts and three seasons with the Browns before heading to South Beach last offseason. Now, Walker will be taking his talents to another Florida squad in the Bucs.
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