VETERAN DEFENSIVE TACKLE SIGNED LAST WEEK

Walker returns to Southern roots

S.C. native 'always felt' he'd land with Panthers

STAN OLSON

solson@charlotteobserver.com

AP FILE PHOTO

Darwin Walker

Darwin Walker was always a Carolinas guy.

He grew up in Walterboro, S.C., and signed to play collegiately at N.C. State. When things didn't work out there, though, he transferred to Tennessee

After college and a brief stop with the Arizona Cardinals, he headed north, making a name for himself in six seasons as a pocket-busting, pass-rushing defensive tackle in Philadelphia. One year in Chicago, though, went poorly due to injuries, and after the 2007 season he found himself a free agent again.

Walker began to look homeward.

"My No. 1 goal was not just to get back to this area, it was to get on a squad that had a chance to win the Super Bowl, but also be back in the south, be in this area," he said. "So Carolina was always my No. 1 choice.

Negotiations between the team and Walker's agent ran hot and cold, but never really ended.

"We turned them down the first time but I always felt in my heart I'd be here," Walker said.

Right after last weekend's draft, Walker came to Charlotte, passed a physical and signed, along with fellow free agent defensive tackle Ian Scott. Walker received a one-year deal that could be worth well over $1 million with incentives.

Now he's home again, wearing the retired Mike Rucker's No. 93 as he works through his first mini-camp as a Panther.

Walker, after participating in practices Friday, took Saturday off because of a tight back. The team was conservative with him because he's recovering from knee and elbow injuries that sabotaged his season in Chicago.

The roster has Walker, who will be 31 in June, listed at 6-foot-3 and 294 pounds. But he said he wants to play at about 300 or 305. He and Scott are keys to strengthening a defensive tackle rotation weakened by the offseason trade of Kris Jenkins.

"This year's kind of a rebound year," Walker said. " ... I need to come out and show I'm still one of the top guys."

The chance to prove he is the same guy who three times had six or more sacks in a season for the Eagles comes later. For now, the sun is shining and Walker, walking from the field, is happy to be in Charlotte.

"We're born and bred right here in the Carolinas, so it's fantastic to be back here around the house," he said, smiling. "It just feels so good, and I know that tickets are going to be crucial this year because everybody's going to be trying to come to the game.

"If anything, I'm not going to make any money off the Panthers; all my money's going to go to tickets."