Kenneth Walker Would Create More Questions Than Answers for Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars should look elsewhere when it comes to the running back position this offseason.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald and running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrate with the Vince Lombardi trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have some questions at the running back position entering the 2026 offseason, and there could be some interesting answers out there.

The Jaguars will likely see running back Travis Etienne depart in free agency next week, unless the Jaguars and Etienne's camp strike a deal before the start of free agency next week. And in the event Etienne leaves, the Jaguars will quickly need to find a way to replace his production.

One option to be that replacement was floated by CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones: Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker, the MVP of this year's Super Bowl. But would Walker actually make sense for the Jaguars?

Walker to Jaguars?

With the Seahawks not placing the franchise tag on Walker on Tuesday, it is clear he is set to be the top running back on the entire market. Had he returned to Seattle, that would have been Etienne. Instead, Walker could command close to $15 million a year. And while the Jaguars and general manager James Gladstone have not been connected to many top names in free agency, this could be a different scenario entirely.

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrates after running for a touchdown in the first half against the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

"Specifically to Walker, it has been noted above he's probably out of the Chiefs' price range. Denver could be the place for him as Bo Nix continues on his rookie deal. One other place I could see him in is Jacksonville. The Jaguars are parting with Etienne and are happy with Bhayshul Tuten. But GM James Gladstone has shown in just a year that he will always be aggressive when it comes to roster building," Jones said.

To his point, Gladstone has been one of the most aggressive general managers in the entire NFL since he was hired. His willingness to be bold and unflinchingly so are big reasons the Jaguars hired him to begin with, and it showed up last year with the Travis Hunter trade and the large volume of other trades he and the Jaguars pulled off last season.

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) scores a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

But Walker, at the end of the day, would only create more questions for the Jaguars than it would bring them answers. The running game needed a spark down the stretch last year, but Walker is one of the most volatile running backs in football. He breaks tackles at a breakneck pace and is a big play machine, but he isn't the running back one would thing of when it comes to building a steady and consistent ground game.

Then there is the fact that Walker and Etienne are not very far apart in terms of talent. They have similar production as rushers over the years, and if Etienne's price tag is too big for the Jaguars, then why wouldn't Walker's? The only explanation would be that the Jaguars consider Walker to be a vastly superior runner, but there is not enough evidence to support that to make such a big investment.

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The Jaguars have internal options to replace Etienne in Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen. They can also add running backs at a significantly cheaper rate than what Walker is set to draw in the open market.

The Jaguars are a bold team, but even this feels a bit too rich for them.

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