The Seattle Seahawks are one of the best ran organizations in football, and they rarely make moves that folks doubt or even question. However, one major exception is in regards to what they did with Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III... or rather, what they didn't do!
Walker's rookie contract expired after the conclusion of Super Bowl LX and was officially a free agent. During this period, Walker signed a massive three-year deal with Kansas City worth up to $45 million at its max value. We wrote at the time Seattle wanted to keep Walker around, but apparently that was not the case.
New reporting from The Athletic's Mike Dugar suggests otherwise. In a recent article, Dugar starts by recounting the awkward exchange from an inebriated
Seahawks general manager John Schneider prior to Seattle's Super Bowl parade. Schneider attempted to make a joke about how Walker was trying to negotiate a contract with him right before going on the stage, to which Walker went on social media to say that never happened.
Well apparently that was the extent of any "negotiation" between either side. Dugar is now reporting the Seahawks never approached Walker with a contract offer to keep him in the Emerald City. He writes:
"There were no serious discussions — on that day or any other — about Walker returning to the team that used a second-round draft pick on him in 2022. Walker’s postseason performance put him in such high demand that he effectively priced himself out of Seattle, which didn’t make a contract offer ahead of free agency, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly about the matter."
While that certainly looks bad right now, especially considering Seattle's woes at the running back position to begin the 2026 season, it is hard to overlook the first part of the sentence stating how Walker was basically "priced out" for the Seahawks. Schneider likely didn't make an offer because they knew they weren't going to be competitive, financially or otherwise.
"Or otherwise"? What does that mean? Well, I don't think Walker was going to come back to the Seahawks even if they matched or exceeded Kansas City's offer. My source? Walker himself.
Walker was clearly frustrated with the split carries he had with Zach Charbonnet, although it is important to note he did not harbor ill will towards his teammate whom he is still close with. Walker was more frustrated with how the team utilized him, which is something Dugar explained at length in his article.
"Walker recalled multiple late-night talks with his father at the beginning of last season, “helping me through all that sh–” and encouraging him to stay positive. Walker focused on the variables in his control — practice habits, recovery, sleep schedule, diet — but playing time was out of his hands. While he led the team with 1,027 rushing yards in 2025, Charbonnet outscored him 12 touchdowns to 5...
...Charbonnet was on Walker’s mind “a lot” during that playoff run. Walker wrote his injured teammate’s jersey number on his wrist for the Super Bowl and intended to flash it in the end zone after a fourth-quarter touchdown run that was called back due to a penalty. But after the season ended, Walker had no interest in returning to an offense that limited his opportunities."
Seattle's system was never going to make Walker the bell cow the way the Chiefs are currently doing with him. This is why I think it is a false dichotomy to compare Seattle signing Rashid Shaheed instead of Walker, as if it were a decision they made poorly. I don't think there even was a decision to be made.
Regardless, it is still disheartening to know the Seahawks did not even attempt to keep their Super Bowl MVP. And if their system wasn't going to make him the No. 1 producer, well, Walker's performance this season is certainly calling that philosophy into question.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks did not make an offer to RB Kenneth Walker III in free agency
