Cardinals signing former Commanders LB Mykal Walker to 1-year deal

The Arizona Cardinals are signing free agent inside linebacker Mykal Walker to a one-year contract, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro confirms.

Gambadoro adds the deal comes in under $2 million.

Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz was the first to report the signing.

The terms of the deal are not yet known.

Walker marks the latest outside addition heading to Arizona, following the signings of quarterback Jacoby Brissett, linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither and pass rusher Josh Sweat.

Walker comes to Arizona after spending last season with the Washington Commanders. In 17 games played, he recorded 21 tackles and two fumble recoveries.

Most of his work came on Washington’s special teams, logging 74% of the available snaps with the unit compared to 7% on defense (77 total).

That wasn’t the case the previous two years, however, with Walker seeing at least 61% of defensive snaps with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2023) and Atlanta Falcons (2022).

That final season in Atlanta, where he played from 2020-22, turned out as his best as a pro. He posted 107 tackles, two interceptions, one sack and six passes defensed in 16 games (12 starts).

On top of being a likely special teams piece for coordinator Jeff Rodgers, Walker now enters an inside linebackers room currently featuring 2023 starter Mack Wilson Sr., Owen Pappoe and newcomer Akeem Davis-Gaither.

With starter and captain Kyzir White, that means a starting spot is currently unfilled.

And thanks to the new additions of Walker and Davis-Gaither, a reunion with White — or Krys Barnes — seems highly unlikely at this rate.

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