Bills give up on Walker

According to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli, the Bills are ready to "throw in the towel" on negotiations with Walker, who is scheduled to head back to Philadelphia on August 5.

Buffalo officials are about ready to throw in the towel on negotiations with Darwin Walker, the veteran defensive tackle acquired in the trade that sent linebacker Takeo Spikes to the Philadelphia Eagles in March. According to the trade agreement, the Bills can return Walker to the Eagles, provided he doesn't report to camp by Aug. 5, and take a sixth-round draft pick in lieu of the tackle. Walker has no intention of reporting until he receives a long-term extension, and the two sides aren't close on the numbers. Walker has two years left on his Philadelphia contract, at base salaries of $1.3 million for 2007 and $1.4 million for 2008. The Bills have offered to nullify the 2008 portion of the contract, but that hasn't swayed Walker, a penetrating-type tackle the Bills could really use.

Looks like Walker is coming back. I doubt he will be any happier here, but I think they should try to keep him, and release Ian Scott. That would be in a perfect world of course, and we all know that this world is far from that.

Chicago could use a defensive tackle, since they have cut ties with the problematic Tank Johnson. The Bears know the Eagles would most likely release Darwin, but then he would have to clear waivers before the Bears could claim him. That is a risk, that a trade could avoid, and maybe the Eagles get another 5th round pick for Walker.

The worst case scenario, is if the Bills send him back to Philadelphia, and the Eagles end up releasing him. They would then lose a 6th round pick to Buffalo as compensation, and have to absorb a cap hit.

This is an intriguing story that has many possible outcomes. I will be sure to follow up with any more updates as soon as I hear them.