One of the most interesting and likely polarizing decisions the Seattle Seahawks will face in the offseason is whether or not to re-sign running back Kenneth Walker III. The team's leading rusher is in the final year of his rookie deal and set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
Neither Walker nor the Seahawks' front office has gone into great detail regarding a potential new deal, but both sides have alluded to it throughout the season. Head coach Mike Macdonald expressed his desire for the team to re-sign Walker earlier this month.
"I’m excited for [Ken] and his future," Macdonald told Gregg Bell of The News Tribune. "He has a great future ahead of him, and hopefully it’s here. We love having him, and he’s a great Seahawk.”
While there's still a long road until the offseason–one that currently runs through No. 1-seeded Seattle–it's possible, if not likely, that the Kenneth Walker III era ends before Seahawks fans ever see its true peak.
Breaking down the chances the Seahawks re-sign Kenneth Walker III
Seahawks fans have clamored for Walker to be more heavily utilized in the offense over the past two seasons, as the explosive Michigan State product has been in a near-50/50 timeshare with Zach Charbonnet.
Walker had one of the best games of his career in this week's overtime thriller against the Los Angeles Rams, in which he tallied 164 all-purpose yards, including an electric 55-yard rush early in the second half. Yet, Walker only got 11 carries and was out-snapped by Charbonnet for the second week in a row.
No matter the game script or how much more impressive Walker looks than Charbonnet, the Seahawks are committed to a split backfield. This begs the question: would John Schneider really shell out the cash for a running back who's only on the field 50% of the time?
According to Spotrac.com, Walker's estimated open market value would yield a four-year, $36.2 million deal. That's around $9 million per year, which puts him in similar territory to running backs like James Conner, James Cook, Chuba Hubbard, and D'Andre Swift.
Walker's talent certainly stacks up to, and even outpaces, members of that crew, but many NFL teams choose to replace running backs through the draft instead of re-signing them to a second contract.
This season, several rookie running backs have become starters or productive members of a committee, even mid-round picks like Woody Marks, Bhayshul Tuten, Ollie Gordon II, and, of course, Cam Skattebo.
With their track record of hitting on late-round picks, the Seahawks could gamble on the draft and use the money they would have spent on Walker elsewhere.
The other option would be to sign a player they view as an upgrade. Breece Hall, Javonte Williams, Rico Dowdle, and Travis Etienne are the highest-profile running backs whose contracts also expire after this season.
It's also not a given that Walker even wants to return to the Seahawks. He might prefer to sign with a team that offers a clear starting role as a three-down back.
The News Tribune asked Walker about his expiring contract in the preseason, but he said he wanted to keep his mind on football, not free agency.
“I really just want to make a positive impact on my team and go out there and play to the best of my ability. And that’s what I’ve been wanting to do since my rookie year to now," Walker said. "So I’m gonna just keep that same mindset and not worry about everything, like contract and everything."
As we near the playoffs, we'll be watching the final few games of Kenneth Walker as a Seahawk. If so, hopefully his Seattle career ends with raising the Lombardi Trophy.