Bills 4th Round Pick : Deone Walker - DT - Kentucky

[BearNorth]

On 9/29/2025 at 11:30 AM, Magox said:

Yes, he’s not a true 1 technique and yes we do have a log jam of 3 techniques.   Lots of penetrators, pass rushers.   Maybe we can pick up a true 1 technique before the end of the trade deadline.  We have WR’s and DE’s to spare, package one of those with a mid to late rounder and should be able to get a good run stuffer.

We had one and let him walk.  Tim Settle is ranked #5 overall and #7 in run defense among interior defenders.

[billsfan89]

1 minute ago, BearNorth said:

We had one and let him walk.  Tim Settle is ranked #5 overall and #7 in run defense among interior defenders.

 

Tim Settle was not very good when he was here and he was here for 2 seasons if I remember correctly. 

[Low Positive]

Just now, billsfan89 said:

 

Tim Settle was not very good when he was here and he was here for 2 seasons if I remember correctly. 

And I don't know why. The Texans also play a base 4-2-5 defense and play even more zone coverage than the Bills. It's not like Poona Ford, who has done better as a NT in a 3-4 on both LA teams. (for the record, I had to look up all this info on other teams' base defenses.)

[colin]

walker is a good bull rush away from being a 5 tool type player, and if we get our ish together and have hoyt and bosa rotate at DE, groot and epenesa at the other, oliver and TJ at 3, and DQ and walker at 1 tech, we might have the best pass rush since shwartz

[Sojourner]

35 minutes ago, colin said:

walker is a good bull rush away from being a 5 tool type player, and if we get our ish together and have hoyt and bosa rotate at DE, groot and epenesa at the other, oliver and TJ at 3, and DQ and walker at 1 tech, we might have the best pass rush since shwartz

Larry O over his career has been productive. Wouldn’t mind him being the rotational piece with Walker. Use him on early downs and sub in Deone when they can. Problem then becomes Sanders. Would rather they get some playing time for a guy drafted where he was. 

[gobills404]

Nice to see him already taking on double teams better these last 2 games. He struggled with that a lot during the preseason.

[Pecker]

On 10/3/2025 at 1:21 PM, VW82 said:

Interesting that so many here are still calling him a 3T even though he’s lining up as a 1T at least half the time if not more to my eye. Walker can play both. 
 

I’m not sure what more a 4th rounder needs to show to be considered an immediate hit. Even if all he ever is is a quality 3rd DT (what he’s already giving us now), that pick is a winner. 
 

Fans are going to freak out when we inevitably have to pay to replace Daquan in FA next year but I’m in Walker and feel like between him and Ed and whatever we can get out of Sanders, our DT room is going to be a big plus for years to come.

I know, where did the idea of him being a 3 tech come from?  
 

those jerseys were awful, but 5-6 times I did see Walker lined up as the nose and …… D Jones at 3tech!! He looked good there too.  That to me says the bills see Walker as better at 1 t than D jones! 

[gobills404]

27 minutes ago, ***** said:

I know, where did the idea of him being a 3 tech come from?  
 

those jerseys were awful, but 5-6 times I did see Walker lined up as the nose and …… D Jones at 3tech!! He looked good there too.  That to me says the bills see Walker as better at 1 t than D jones! 

Because people will label DTs as a certain technique based on their play style against the run even though the different “techniques” are just where they lineup. Deone is more of a penetration style player so he’ll get called a 3T even though he lines up mostly at 1T. Just like Ed mostly lines up at 3T but he’s often the one dropping his knee against a double team.

Edited Thursday at 12:45 AM by gobills404

[In Summary]

Keep Walker's back healthy and we've got a player.

Edited Thursday at 04:15 PM by In Summary

[HappyDays]

 

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

9 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

The only thing I'm shocked about is that the Bills have a single above average run defender 

[Prospector]

10 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

There have quite a few times where I say to myself, wow, nice play Deone.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

5 minutes ago, Prospector said:

There have quite a few times where I say to myself, wow, nice play Deone.

While I am enjoying the Jackson Hawes story, if I'm going to pick who is the rookies is going to be bona fide star it's Walker 

[KOKBILLS]

On 10/8/2025 at 3:11 PM, BearNorth said:

We had one and let him walk.  Tim Settle is ranked #5 overall and #7 in run defense among interior defenders.

 

Poona Ford and Tim Settle have played every game but one (Settle missed a game last year) since they left and have combined for 83 total tackles, 9 sacks and 20 run stuffs as rotational DT's... 

[DJB]

Love this kid. And love him more because so many in here doubted him 

[Coach Tuesday]

10 hours ago, DJB said:

Love this kid. And love him more because so many in here doubted him 

I think you’re thinking of … nobody.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

25 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

I think you’re thinking of … nobody.

I think the most vocal detractor was Joe Marino. I think a lot of the podcasters were pumping the brakes because while they saw upside the back injury and build, combined with playing as a single gapper mean he was he wasn't seen as a run stuffer and more of a 1-tech pass rusher. Being in the 4th round as a high reward low risk pick.

 

That he is already one of the best run stuffers on the team, and has flashed those pass rushing skills as well has him easily top 2 in our most immediately impactful rookies and no disrespect to Hawes, Walker's ceiling is much much higher. He's already exceeded what I would have considered a success for the season and Beane might have found a top tier player in the 4th round.

 

Can we have Beane just draft defenders 4th round and back?

[Roundybout]

On 10/8/2025 at 3:13 PM, billsfan89 said:

 

Tim Settle was not very good when he was here and he was here for 2 seasons if I remember correctly. 

When a player is bad on one team and good on another, it’s coaching. When a player is bad on one team and bad on another (Kaiir Elam) it’s on the player 

[GunnerBill]

35 minutes ago, Roundybout said:

When a player is bad on one team and good on another, it’s coaching. When a player is bad on one team and bad on another (Kaiir Elam) it’s on the player 

 

Meh. Settle was pretty rubbish in Houston last year. He graded out terribly - especially in run defense - and while he did get 5 sacks that was clean up duty playing between two top tier edge guys. 

 

I think this is more just a guy having a career year so far this year. That happens from time to time where a guy who is career average just has a year where everything clicks.