NFL cast-off brings potential to Calgary’s CFL crew
It’s potentially the biggest signing of Dave Dickenson’s short time in the GM’s chair with the Calgary Stampeders.
At the very least, it’s interesting as heck.
The Stampeders have added former NFL quarterback P.J. Walker to their practice roster — a move made Tuesday that raises a few eyebrows and certainly questions about the future at the pivot position.
“We know he’s a good player,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson, being careful to remain cautiously optimistic in the early days after Walker was acquired quietly in a trade of negotiation-list assets with the Toronto Argonauts a few weeks back.
“He can move — he can throw,” continued Dickenson. “He’s confident. He’s had success.”
Walker is, indeed, a bona fide QB.
One who could well fit the CFL mould.
The 30-year-old native of Elizabeth, NJ, played in 21 NFL games from 2020-23, making nine starts along the way. Seven came with the ho-hum Carolina Panthers, before two more — of marked significance — came for the Cleveland Browns during their resurgence last year.
He was an integral part of the Browns’ Weeks 5-7 of the NFL schedule, helping them to wins over the visiting San Francisco 49ers — 19-17 — and the host Indianapolis Colts — 39-38 — before a 24-20 loss to the host Seattle Seahawks. In those respective games, Walker went: 19-of-34 for 192 passing yards and two interceptions; 15-of-32 for 178 passing yards and one INT; and 15-of-31 for 248 passing yards with two touchdowns and one INT.
But most important is he has a big-league resumé.
“We’ve seen him play in other leagues,” Dickenson said. “We made the trade hoping we could entice him here, and we were able to do that.
“He wants to see what the CFL is all about. We’ll get him up to speed.”
Walker seems game to do just that.
With just three tilts left on the Stampeders schedule, he’s brought his young family — wife Ashlei and seven-month-old daughter Aubrei — with him to check out Calgary.
That’s not just a drop-in-and-see-what’s-what move from a football player who didn’t know anything about the CFL a short time ago.
“For us to come down as a family, we’ll see what’s possible for the next couple years — or whatever it is — and whatever comes with it,” Walker said. “So for us, it’s just to come out and see it and get the experience.
“I know a lot of guys that have been playing here around the league,” continued Walker. “So for me, it’s just trying to communicate with those guys and pick their brain as much as I can.
“You need that leadership role here, for sure, but you also need to be able to throw the ball around the field and be able to spread because it’s a bigger field. So for me, it’s about trying to be accurate and be on time and just go out there and create plays whenever we need it — it’s just try to go out there, play my game and try to be smart and just be decisive and help the team.”
Walker arrives at McMahon Stadium after the Browns opted not to re-sign him — “part of the business,” he says — and following his recent release from the Seattle Seahawks.
Since then, he’s been training and waiting for the right chance to jump back into the football fray.
“I’ve been up at home, being a dad for the most part and missing football a lot, and I just wanted to get back on it,” Walker said. “As long the opportunities presented itself in the NFL, I was always gonna take those opportunities. And I’m not saying they still can’t present themselves, but I really do want to play. I really do want to go out there and try to help the team win and contribute as much as I can.”
When that happens with the Stamps has yet to be determined — or at least announced.
“Not sure … doubt it,” said Walker, when asked if he might take the CFL field before the end of this season.
Dickenson, however, seemed to keep that door open.
“Yeah … I think there’s a possibility,” Dickenson said. “But I just want for all of us to get to know each other and see what he’s about.”
In his NFL career, the 5-foot-11, 221-lb. Walker completed 185-of-339 passes for 2,135 yards and six touchdowns while rushing 31 times for 80 yards.
The QB also led the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks to a 5-0 record in 2020 and was leading the league with 1,338 passing yards and 15 touchdowns when the season was cancelled because of the global pandemic.
In college, Walker played 49 games and made 47 starts over four years for the NCAA’s Temple Owls and finished his collegiate career as the program’s all-time leader in completions (830), passing yards (10,668) and TD passes (74). He was the most outstanding player in the 2016 American Athletic Conference championship game in a 34-10 win over the Navy Midshipmen and was the first Temple quarterback to lead the school to multiple bowl-game appearances. For his university career, Walker completed 830-of-1,456 passes for 74 majors and had 342 carries for 763 yards and nine TDs.
“Like a lot of guys, he’s looking for a home,” Dickenson said. “When you’ve played the game for seven years professionally, you just kind of want to find a spot you can fit in at.
“He’s a guy that — for me — I needed to look at,” added Dickenson, who reportedly sent two neg-list players to the Argos to get Walker’s rights from their neg list. “I’m at least glad he’s giving us that opportunity. And we’ll see it goes from there.”
Short yardage
The Stampeders (4-10-1) host the rival Edmonton Elks (5-11) on Saturday at McMahon Stadium (1 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary) for the team’s final regular-season home game of the campaign … WR Cam Echols (head) did not practise for a second straight day Wednesday. Neither did WR Ishmael Hyman (calf) … Both WR Jalen Philpot (illness), and DB Demerio Houston (illness), who missed Tuesday’s session, practised fully Wednesday.