After reporting to the Colts training camp in Terre Haute last Sunday, wide
receiver and kickoff returns specialist Gerran Walker barely had time to unpack
his bags before learning that he was being waived by the Colts.
"Right before the team meeting I was pulled out with a couple of other
players and we were told that they had to let us go," he said. "They
said it was a numbers thing."
The Colts got a late jump on signing their draft picks, who didn't count
against the 80-man roster maximum until they had signed. But there was a flurry
of signings during the weekend leading up to the opening day of camp, and the
Colts had to move three players off the roster.
"I wasn't as educated on the maximum roster size that you could
have in camp at that stage, so I didn't know I was in danger yet," the
speedy Walker told ColtPower last week. "I was actually surprised because I
had been doing good things in practice."
Walker was added to the Colts roster as an undrafted free agent immediately
following the NFL Draft. The Colts had scouted him and were obviously impressed
with his speed, which has been clocked in the 4.35 to 4.38 range in the
forty-yard dash. They were in dire need of returns specialists with punt
returner Troy Walters in Arizona due to free agency, and with kickoff returner
Dominic Rhodes being pulled from special teams since he would be competing for
the starting running back role. But by the time camp opened, the Colts had
almost a dozen players with returns experience to choose from.
"I was realistic enough to know that when you're a free agent, there are
no guarantees," Walker said. "So I did go through this moment in my
mind before it happened. I just didn't expect it to happen so soon."
Walker hit the waiver wire and the Chargers didn't waste anytime putting in
their claim. They had also been watching Walker during his senior year and
showed some interest in him after he finished his career at Lehigh University in
Pennsylvania. Walker's phone rang just shortly after 4 p.m. eastern time when
the waivers period had ended.
"I got a call from my agent and he said, 'Gerran, are you ready to go
surfing? You're going to San Diego.' I was really excited," he said.
San Diego fans are in for a treat as they watch Walker return kicks and
battle for a position on the depth chart as a wide receiver. After his
unexpected departure from the Colts, he's even more determined to make his way
onto an NFL team this year.
"I'm looking forward to going out there and making some plays and
showing them what I can do," he said.
In-story photo compliments of Lehigh University Athletics