John Schneider knew that holding onto Kenneth Walker III would be difficult. The Seattle Seahawks running back was healthy in 2025 and proved that his rookie season was no fluke.
Walker had been the runner-up for offensive rookie of the year back in 2022, but nagging injuries, along with a weak offensive line, created some questions as to how good the Michigan State alum truly was.
He answered those questions this year, especially after his backfield partner Zach Charbonnet went down with an injury late in the season. Walker raised his game and helped Seattle claim its second Lombardi Trophy, winning the Super Bowl MVP award in the process.
Who will be in the Seattle Seahawks' backfield week one of the 2026 season?
Schneider had a price in mind, and the Kansas City Chiefs, desperate for backfield help, were willing to surpass that number. New Orleans gave Travis Etienne a bigger overall contract, but yearly, Walker earned himself the most money paid for a running back this offseason – a little bit over 14 million per year.
Schneider showed great discipline in resisting the urge to get into a bidding war. That’s why he is the reigning executive of the year. But it does leave a major roster hole right behind Sam Darnold.
Many Seahawks fans seem confident that Charbonnet will slide right into Walker’s role. I remain unconvinced. Set aside his injury, though that could certainly be a factor. Let’s assume Charbonnet is fully healthy come September. He will not be able to provide the type of play that Walker did throughout the 2025 season.
Charbonnet is a fine runner. Very powerful. Good in short yardage. Good vision. He’s not a burner, but he has enough speed to be productive.
Kenneth Walker, on the other hand, has the speed to scare any opposing defense. He is capable of breaking a game-changing run at any moment. That is not who Zach Charbonnet is.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many Kenneth Walker’s floating around the league at present. Barring a surprise move, Charbonnet will almost certainly be the Seahawks’ primary running back once he is fully healthy.
But they need more. And they may find it down in Denver, where Jaleel McLaughlin is waiting for a call.
Other young running backs have shown flashes in recent years and are still available on the free agent market. Dameon Pierce once looked like a star in the making. So did Miles Sanders and Alexander Mattison. For a variety of reasons, those players – and others like them – never built on their early promise and are now looking to latch on somewhere as a backup.
McLaughlin is a little different. He just completed his third season with Denver. In his first two seasons, the UDFA out of Youngstown State proved to be a dangerous rotational player. He ran for more than 900 yards, with an excellent 4.8 yards per carry. He scored six touchdowns – four of them on pass receptions.
Then he vanished in 2025. It might be because he didn’t go by initials. Sean Payton turned over the running back chores in 2025 to RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins.
More likely, it was because of his size. Harvey, Dobbins, and McLaughlin are all on the shorter side, but whereas Harvey and Dobbins both weigh over 200 pounds, McLaughlin struggles to reach 190. He is very quick, but he lacks the thick build many coaches want in their backs.
That is the main reason McLaughlin cannot simply step into the role that Walker played in 2025. He does not have Walker’s power.
But he does have breakaway speed and excellent elusiveness. Despite being inactive for half the season and only getting 37 carries, McLaughlin continued to produce. His yards per carry and success rate on running plays were both better than those of Denver's two primary backs.
McLaughlin will be 25 on opening day. He has no alarming history of injury. The real question is how much of a load he can carry without wearing down.
In 2024, he averaged seven rushes per game and a couple more touches through the air. If Brian Fleury determines that nine or ten touches are enough to complement Charbonnet, McLaughlin could slide right into that role. If he needs more, perhaps the Seahawks will have to keep looking.
Update: McLaughlin has decided to re-sign with the Denver Broncos.