A backup OT was needed in any case; with Sherrod going to PUP it's now a necessity. With 11 DBs and 9 LBs, there are guys in those groups still on the bubble, one of which will be gone when the OT is acquired.
It's curious they went with 53 instead of 52 with Walden coming back in week 2. So far as I can tell, the only disadvantage in going with 52 is you're then prevented from signing 3rd. year guys to the practice squad. I can't imaging Levine (the only 3rd. year candidate from our PS) is worth taking up one of the limited practice squad spots given the youth and numbers among the 53, and the fact going with 53 costs a season's salary for somebody who will sit on inactive for one game before departing with Walden's return.
Perhaps Walden is not a lock, though I'd be surprised by that. Perhaps they want to leave open the option of picking up for PS another team's guy with 2 yrs. on PS already. Perhaps they don't care about dropping a minimum $390,000 to try to keep Levine on PS. Maybe nobody cares about $390,000 cash if it doesn't impact the cap...just add 50 cents to the ticket prices. I shall consider the final outcome an educational experience.
If I'm counting right, there are 13 entirely new faces including 4 undrafted rookies, plus 2 PS elevations. The beat goes on.