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Kansas City Chiefs issued warning by PFF after signing Kenneth Walker in 2026 NFL free agency

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Robin M Adams | Last updated Mar 25, 2026 9:52 AM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs made the controversial decision to bring back tight end Travis Kelce for one more season in 2026. Of course, with Kelce deciding to play one more NFL season, it makes sense that he would stay with the Chiefs given how long he has been there.

That being said, Kelce did not look like himself in 2025, which makes sense given the fact that he was 36 years old. He still had over 800 yards receiving, but he lost a step in both pass and run blocking.

Still, Kelce is a Chiefs legend and if he wants to play one more season, Kansas City makes the most sense. Perhaps that is why PFF did not choose his return as the worst move the team made this off-season.

Kansas City Chiefs may have over-paid for Kenneth Walker in NFL free agency

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs against the New England Patriots during the second quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

One of the most notable additions Kansas City made this off-season was signing Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker in NFL free agency. The former Seattle Seahawks star had 1,039 rushing yards last season in what was a limited role.

With the Chiefs, Walker should expect to receive more carries than he did in Seattle. But the big question many have is if he will remain as productive and if he can stay healthy with an increased workload.

If he can, he will be worth the richest free agent contract ever given to a running back. If not, well, there is a reason PFF declared this signing their least favorite that Kansas City made so far:

“Walker was PFF’s highest-graded running back (91.4) in 2025, and he also earned Super Bowl MVP honors. He ranked among the top 10 running backs in PFF overall grade in 2023 and 2024, as well. However, there are still concerns about this acquisition, as the Chiefs made Walker the fourth-highest-paid running back in the league.

“While he was excellent in his role with the Seahawks, he hasn’t topped 500 regular-season snaps in any of the past three seasons. Across his four seasons in Seattle, he ranked just 17th among all running backs in snaps (2,038).”

Obviously, the Chiefs intend on competing for a Super Bowl next season, and Walker has proven he can be a Super Bowl-winning running back.

But with all the questions on the roster, one has to wonder if they have the run-blocking and depth at the position to make that possible.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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