The Seattle Seahawks made their offseason choice, and three weeks into the year it already looks like the kind of move that can haunt a front office.
Kenneth Walker III is out in Kansas City now on a multi-year deal, and the Chiefs have wasted no time leaning into exactly what he does best. In Week 3, he turned in another big night against the Miami Dolphins, piling up 70 rushing yards and two scores while continuing to look like the most dangerous runner on the field. He entered the week leading the league in yards from scrimmage, and he also set a mark for the most yards from scrimmage by a reigning Super Bowl MVP in his first game of the next season, topping the legendary Jerry Rice.
Seattle, meanwhile, moved on with a committee approach and first-round pick Jadarian Pierce. That plan has hit turbulence fast.
Pierce fumbled in consecutive weeks, then disappeared after losing the ball deep in his own territory. He also missed a big chunk of his second game with a chest injury before becoming a non-factor in Week 3.
It’s still early, and three games is nowhere near enough to stamp a final judgment on a player, especially a rookie. Pierce showed some burst and wiggle in limited touches in his debut. But the ball security issues are impossible to ignore, and they’ve been a concern going back to his college days.
The larger question is the one hanging over Seattle now: should the Seahawks have simply paid Walker and kept the whole thing from becoming a debate? They had the money to do it, and he had done enough to earn the chance. Instead, they took the cheaper route and hoped a committee - with Pierce as the headliner - could carry the load.
Maybe there was another path, too. The Chiefs could have traded out of the first round and turned that pick into more assets. Maybe they could have landed Bud Clark and still gotten Pierce, who was projected to go later in the second round.
For now, though, the story is Walker. Eric Bieniemy, the Chiefs’ “new” offensive coordinator, knows how to put an explosive back in position to shine, and Walker looks right at home in that setup. He picked up where he left off in the offseason, and Seattle is left watching from afar as its former star keeps flashing.
Pierce still has time to settle in, and he’ll need patience as he grows into a bigger role. He wasn’t the only reason the team lost, but his fumble helped put them in catch-up mode for most of the game. If he doesn’t get more chances - and if the turnovers keep coming - it’s going to be hard for Seahawks fans not to keep comparing every move back to the guy they let walk.
In Other News...
Ernest Jones Sent A Clear Message After Seattles First Loss
The Seahawks first loss of the season did more than end a 12-game winning streak, it also sharpened the focus on how this team handles the next turn. Ernest Jones pointed to execution as the issue after the setback, a familiar refrain for a defense that has spent most of the season carrying the expectation that Seattle can answer anything with steadiness and composure.
For a team still very much in the mix, Jones comments served as a reminder that the response matters as much as the result. Seattle has built its run on resilience, and after a game that snapped the streak, the real test is whether that confidence shows up quickly or gives way to a longer slide. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Rookie Picture Just Got More Concerning After Week 3
The Seahawks rookie class got a harsher spotlight in the wake of the Week 3 loss to Washington, and not every first-year player came away looking the same. Guard Beau Stephens continued to show promise while splitting snaps at right guard, a small but meaningful sign that Seattle may have found a young lineman it can keep developing as the season moves along.
Elsewhere, the picture was less encouraging. Running back Jadarian Price had a rough outing, highlighted by a fumble that cut into his playing time, and the teams roster shuffling only adds to the uncertainty around the group. Seattle brought back defensive tackle Uso Seumalo and moved guard Anthony Bradford to injured reserve, while injuries at safety have further thinned the available options, leaving the rookie pipeline under a little more pressure than the Seahawks likely wanted this early. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Loss Reopened A Roster Debate Fans Wont Ignore
The Seahawks loss to Washington did more than add another mark in the standings. It pushed a few familiar roster questions back into the spotlight, especially the ones that have been hanging around the edges of the season for weeks. Special teams has been one area of concern, and the decision to move on from Cody White keeps looking more consequential when that unit struggles to find steady footing.
Up front, the right guard spot is still in flux, with Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens continuing to share the conversation rather than settle it. And while Rashid Shaheed brings a different kind of speed to the offense, the fit still invites debate when the line is not holding up and injuries keep shaping the weekly picture. The Seahawks can point to the moving parts as context, but the larger issue is whether the roster as built is giving them enough stability where they need it most. [Read more 🡒]