Seahawks GM Addresses Kenneth Walker’s Questionable Future

Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker is currently preparing for the biggest game of his life and what could be the last contest of his Seahawks career. A second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Walker immediately became the team’s starting running back and has established himself as one of the league’s better options over the past few years.

Splitting the load with Zach Charbonnet, Walker finished his fourth season with 221 attempts for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns with adding 31 receptions for 282 yards through the air. However, he’s stepped it up in the playoffs, taking on a featured role after Charbonnet suffered a season-ending injury.

While nobody knows exactly what his future holds, Seattle Seahawks General Manager John Schneider recently spoke on Kenneth Walker and made it clear he hopes to re-sign the impending free agent.

“Ken has been awesome,” Schneider said. “Explosive. I would say maybe a little bit more decisive the last month and a half. He’s a free agent. We’d love to have him back.”

Report: Seahawks Want to Re-Sign Kenneth Walker

It makes sense that a run-heavy team like the Seahawks want to re-sign Kenneth Walker, but they might not be able to. While the Seahawks have plenty of cap space, they have several key players set to hit free agency in the coming years. With guys like Devon Witherspoon due for a massive payday, can Seattle justify spending big on a luxury position like running back? Walker obviously fits the scheme, but if he’s chasing the highest payday or even the biggest workload, he might sign with another team.

Other Fits

The Washington Commanders are in desperate need of a younger, dependable running back. While seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt had plenty of offseason hype, his actual on-field production left a lot to be desired. The rookie finished his inaugural campaign with just a respectable 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, but he lost work as the season progressed. Washington will probably look for an upgrade in the offseason, and Kenneth Walker will be one of the top free agent options out there.

The Kansas City Chiefs, meanwhile, are in a similar boat. Seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco is a free agent, and while he started his career on a high note, he hasn’t done much of anything in the past two seasons. Even if the Chiefs re-sign him, they should look for an upgrade at the position.

The only question is whether the Chiefs can afford a more expensive free agent like Walker. As of this posting, Kansas City is $54.6 million over the projected 2026 salary cap. While they can release a few players to reach cap compliance, they probably won’t be able to win too many bidding wars when the league year officially begins.