The Seahawks moved on from Kenneth Walker III in March, and the decision already looks a lot bigger in hindsight.
Seattle let the running back hit free agency, and the Kansas City Chiefs pounced with a three-year, $43.05 million contract for the Super Bowl LX MVP. Now Walker is storming through the first half of the season as the NFL’s leading rusher, and he’ll get a shot at a revenge game in Week 7 when the Seahawks host the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson and Nate Taylor reported Friday morning that Seattle had real doubts about committing to Walker again.
“But the team's decision-makers had reservations about his availability dating to his rookie season, according to sources familiar with the team's thinking,” the report said. “It also helped explain why the Seahawks had Walker split snaps with (Zach) Charbonnet in 2025, and why -- according to multiple sources familiar with the team's plans -- they were only willing to go as high as roughly $10 million per season to re-sign him in March.”
Walker’s production last season backed up his value. The 2022 second-round pick set career highs with 1,309 scrimmage yards and 4.6 yards per carry, then took on an even bigger role when Charbonnet tore his ACL in the NFC divisional round.
He carried that surge straight into the postseason. Walker finished with 65 carries for 313 yards and four touchdowns in the playoffs, including 161 yards and a score on the ground in Seattle’s Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots.
That momentum has only grown in 2026. Walker leads the league with 665 rushing yards and 6.3 yards per carry, even though Kansas City has already had its bye week. He’s also scored six rushing touchdowns and added a career-high two receiving touchdowns.
Seattle’s run game has not matched that kind of punch. The Seahawks rank 18th in yards per rushing attempt at 3.9, and they lead the NFL in rushing fumbles with six and rushing fumbles lost with five.
There may be help on the way. Charbonnet was activated off the physically unable to perform list on Thursday, giving Seattle a potential boost in Week 7.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Zach Charbonnet Problem Before Chiefs Game
The Seahawks are heading into their Week 7 matchup with the Chiefs without Zach Charbonnet, who has already been activated off the physically unable to perform list but remains in rehab and not ready to suit up. Seattle also ruled out linebackers Drake Thomas and Chazz Surratt, along with defensive back Nick Emmanwori, leaving the roster thinner than the team would like as it prepares for one of its tougher tests of the early season.
Charbonnets situation is the one that stands out most because Seattle went through the trouble of making roster moves to keep him eligible later in the year. For now, though, the team has to proceed without the running back it had hoped might be closer to a return, and the injury list adds another wrinkle as the Seahawks try to navigate a game where depth could matter just as much as the headline names on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Need These Surprise Contributors To Challenge The Unbeaten Chiefs
A Sunday night test against the unbeaten Chiefs gives the Seahawks a chance to measure how much depth and versatility they really have. With Kansas City coming in without a loss, Seattle will need more than its stars to make this one competitive, and a few unexpected names could shape how the game unfolds. Cooper Kupp, Ty Okada and Trevon Diggs are among the players who may wind up carrying more weight than usual in a matchup that demands sharp execution in every phase.
Seattle also has a familiar source of motivation in former player Kenneth Walker III, whose presence adds another layer to a game already loaded with stakes. The Seahawks know they are facing a team that has set the standard for the league, and this is the kind of night where role players can swing the balance if they rise to the moment. Whether those surprise contributors can actually tilt things in Seattles favor will be one of the more interesting subplots when the Chiefs arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Running Back Problem Suddenly Has Fans Rethinking One Big Decision
The Colts decision to fire general manager Chris Ballard has added another layer of intrigue to the trade market, and it comes at a time when teams around the league are already evaluating their backfields with fresh urgency. Jonathan Taylor is the name that immediately rises to the top of the conversation, and for Seattle, the timing is hard to ignore as the Seahawks continue to sort through a running back room that has not given them much reason to feel settled.
Seattles situation is part of a bigger pattern, too, with the Giants and Broncos also getting mentioned as clubs that could use a boost at the position. For the Seahawks, the discussion inevitably circles back to roster-building choices and whether one past decision has left them more exposed than they needed to be. If the market opens up before the November 10 deadline, Seattle could be forced to weigh a move that would have looked far less urgent not long ago. [Read more 🡒]