SAD NEWS: Dan Campbell announce release of his Jared Goff…
Tracy Walker, a safety, left Detroit on Tuesday, and the Lions said goodbye to him on Wednesday.
The Lions announced Walker’s release on Wednesday morning. After word of his impending resignation appeared on Tuesday, Walker expressed gratitude on social media that he had been a part of “something special over these last six years” in Detroit.
Walker was the Lions’ third-round pick in 2018, and he started 34 games between 2019 and 2021, as well as the first three games of the 2022 season. A torn Achilles terminated his season at that point, and Walker started six games in the regular season before being placed on the inactive list for the playoffs.
The move will save the Lions $5.5 million under the cap, allowing Walker to look for a new team before the influx of free agents hits the market in March.
The NFL’s delicate money grab/finger wag regarding gambling has caused a lot of misunderstanding and controversy. The resulting “do as we say, not as we do” atmosphere has caused dissatisfaction among players who are subjected to restrictions that appear inconsistent and illogical.
As a result, NFL players intend to lobby for a modification to the laws forbidding betting on sports other than NFL football.
Bill King of Sports Business Journal investigated the matter last week, gathering quotes from numerous athletes who want the restrictions eased.
“I think the rules are outdated,” Falcons defensive end Calais Campbell told King. “There was a period when it made sense, but now that we have technology and can bet on baseball or basketball on our phones, I don’t see why I couldn’t pick up my phone and [bet] just because I’m in a locker room or on a Wednesday or whatever.
“No one wants to see a person wagering on football. That’s not okay. But, you know, with technology as it is, and you can see exactly what people are betting on, and you know it has nothing to do with the integrity of the game, why not offer us this opportunity to be able to make money while we’re doing that?
The issue in Campbell’s argument is that players will profit. It’s not like stocks, where there is a clear path to profit. The house always wins in the long run.
Still, there’s no compelling reason why they should be barred from wagering (losing) on other teams, especially because they may do so during the summer when they’re not at the facility.
It would be far cleaner and simpler if the league, which has the sole authority to set gambling policies without union participation, advised players that they could not engage in any type of sports wagering throughout their NFL careers. When these issues first came into attention last year, Chris Simms made a very solid point about this uncommon case in which the league grants rights.