The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into the 2026 offseason with a clear goal: get back to playing January football. After a disappointing 6-11 campaign that saw them miss the playoffs, there are plenty of areas to address, but one position stands out - running back.
Simply put, the Chiefs didn’t get enough from their ground game last season. And with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt both headed for free agency, and only Brashard Smith currently on the roster, Kansas City’s backfield is a blank canvas. The front office knows it needs a difference-maker - and there might be one about to hit the open market.
Enter Kenneth Walker III.
Fresh off a Super Bowl MVP performance in Seattle’s 29-13 win over the Patriots, Walker is suddenly one of the hottest names in football. He capped off a strong 2025 regular season - his first time starting all 17 games - by rushing for over 1,000 yards and scoring five touchdowns. It marked his first 1,000-yard campaign since his rookie year, and he looked every bit the explosive, downhill runner he was projected to be coming out of Michigan State.
But it was the postseason where Walker truly elevated his game - and his value. He piled up over 313 rushing yards and scored four touchdowns across the Seahawks’ playoff run, becoming the engine of an offense that also features Offensive Player of the Year Jaxson Smith-Njigba. In the Super Bowl, Walker carried the rock 27 times for 135 yards, grinding out tough yards, moving the chains, and wearing down a Patriots defense that had been one of the league’s best all season.
That performance didn’t just earn him a ring - it made history. Walker became the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis did it back in 1998.
He’s also the first player to rush for 100 yards in a Super Bowl since Damien Williams did it for the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. That’s elite company, and it couldn’t come at a better time for Walker, who is set to hit free agency in a month.
Of course, the Seahawks may not let him get that far. With the franchise tag window opening on February 17 and closing March 4, Seattle has the option to tag him at an estimated $14.5 million - a manageable figure for a position that carries one of the lowest tag values in the league. Given Walker’s postseason heroics and his central role in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run, it wouldn’t be surprising if they went that route while working toward a long-term deal.
But Seattle’s front office has some tough decisions ahead. In addition to Walker, they’ve got to think about future extensions for cornerstone players like Smith-Njigba and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. There’s only so much money to go around, and sometimes even MVPs become cap casualties.
If Walker does hit the open market, he’ll headline a strong free-agent running back class that includes names like Travis Etienne, Breece Hall, Rachaad White, and Javonte Williams. But none of those backs are coming off the kind of postseason run Walker just had. He’s proven he can carry the load in the biggest moments - and that’s exactly what the Chiefs are missing.
Kansas City has some cap gymnastics to do if they want to be real players in free agency, especially for a top-tier back like Walker. But make no mistake - the need is there.
The Chiefs’ offense still runs through Patrick Mahomes, but without a consistent threat in the backfield, defenses have been able to key in on the passing game. That balance they once had during their championship runs?
It’s been missing.
Whether it’s through free agency or the NFL Draft, the Chiefs have to find answers at running back. And if Kenneth Walker III becomes available, he’s the kind of player who could change the outlook of their offense overnight. He’s a proven playmaker, a postseason performer, and a back who just showed he can carry a team all the way to the mountaintop.
The countdown to free agency is on. Let’s see if the Chiefs decide to make a run at the MVP.