Joe Walter was a seventh-round pick in 1985 and became a cornerstone of the franchise's offensive line. Over a 13-year career spent entirely in Cincinnati, Walter established himself as a reliable, tough-as-nails anchor at right tackle.

At 6 feet 6 inches and 295 pounds, Walter had exceptional length, strong lateral footwork, and a heavy anchor in pass protection. After adjusting to the professional game during his 1985 rookie campaign, he claimed the starting right tackle spot in 1986 and held onto the position for the next decade.

Walter experienced his most distinguished individual season in 1988, establishing a formidable partnership with Anthony Muñoz. He commenced all 16 games as right tackle, achieving a personal record with a double-digit Approximate Value rating, while effectively creating running lanes for Ickey Woods and James Brooks and safeguarding Boomer Esiason during Cincinnati’s advancement to Super Bowl XXIII.

Despite battling a severe knee injury in 1993, Walter’s durability and veteran leadership kept him in the starting lineup through 1996. He transitioned to a valuable reserve and mentor role for his final season in 1997 before hanging up his cleats, leaving as one of the longest-tenured offensive linemen in franchise history.  Walter started 136 games for the squad.