The Seattle Seahawks have a big problem right now. None of their healthy running backs are under contract beyond this season, and even though Zach Charbonnet should be back for the start of the season, knee injuries are always tricky.
That, plus the way he's performed this postseason, may have changed the team's stance on Kenneth Walker III. What once seemed to be a potential candidate to walk away in free agency might now be one of their primary targets in the offseason.
At least, that's how general manager John Schneider made it sound. Talking to Seahawks beat writer Gregg Bell of The News Tribune, the Seahawks' main decision-maker took notice of Walker's surge and value in the playoffs.
John Schneider wants to keep Kenneth Walker with the Seattle Seahawks
"For his future? Ken has been awesome," Schneider said. "Maybe a little bit more decisive the last month and a half. He's a free agent. We'd love to have him back."
While operating mostly on a committee, Walker has already shown that he can be the main guy out of the backfield. He has two 1,000-rushing-yard seasons and has reached 900 rushing yards in all but one of his years in the league.
He's been even more special in the postseason. Over three games, he logged 417 total yards and four touchdowns on 74 touches. He got things going early in the NFC Divisional Round by crushing the San Francisco 49ers for 116 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 19 carries with three catches for 29 yards.
Then, he kept his foot on the gas by turning 19 carries into 62 yards and one touchdown with four receptions for 49 yards in the NFC Championship Game win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Oh, and then he won the Super Bowl MVP after having 135 yards rushing and 26 years receiving. He likely made himself invaluable for Seattle moving forward.
Spotrac projects Walker's market value at four years and $33.59 million, which is around $8.4 million a year. The Seahawks will have the sixth-most available cap space in the league this offseason at $73.2 million, according to Over The Cap, so they should be able to keep him in town if they truly intend to.
Whether Walker will want to return to Seattle, knowing that he might be stuck in a committee with Charbonnet for at least another year, remains to be seen. Whatever the case, he's risen to the occasion in the biggest games of his career, and he's playing himself into a big contract this offseason.