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NFL Free Agency: Seahawks will have several solid options at running back in 2026

The Seahawks host the 49ers on Saturday in the divisional playoffs. Will Mike Macdonald’s leading ground gainer in 2025 be with a different team next season?
Russell Baxter|
Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) rushes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images
Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) rushes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks’ ground attack finished on a high note this season and is heading into this weekend’s NFC Divisional Playoffs with a major head of steam. The 1-2 combination of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet have been a huge catalyst in the team’s current seven-game winning streak.

Mike Macdonald’s team finished tied for 10th in the league in yards per game on the ground in 2025. That’s a significant jump from each of the previous two seasons when the Seahawks were ranked 28th in the NFL each year.

However, let’s fast forward to this upcoming offseason. Walker is slated to become an unrestricted free agent come early March, unless he and the Seahawks come to an agreement before then. However, what happens if they allow the four-year pro to test the open market?

The eighth-leading rusher in franchise history with 3,555 yards is coming off a year in which he played and started all 17 games for the first time in his four-year career. He’s also part of a very talented group of runners that could be up for grabs come the NFL’s new fiscal year in early March.

A total of 17 players ran for at least 1,000 yards, including the top five players on Hartitz’s list in Dallas’ Javonte Williams (1,201), Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne (1,107), Carolina’s Rico Dowdle (1,076), the Jets’ Breece Hall (1,065), as well as the aforementioned Walker (1,027). Of course, the cupboard isn’t bare in Seattle with Charbonnet enjoying a career year. The third-year pro didn’t start a game this season, but he amassed personal bests in carries (184), rushing yards (730) and touchdowns (12).

Of course, it would be very interesting if general manager John Schneider opted to go in a different direction and wind up replacing Walker, who finished with five TDs and a career-best 1,309 yards from scrimmage in 2025. That makes for a good discussion down the road. First things first, and that’s the Seahawks’ third meeting of the season with the rival Niners.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.