Kenneth Walker III May Be Seahawks Super Bowl MVP, But He's Also a Free Agency Bust

The Seattle Seahawks are still riding high from their win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. It won't be long until they have to move on from this and focus on the 2026 season.

Their first task will be deciding who to keep around. With multiple starters slated for free agency, the Seahawks are in danger of facing a mass exodus of players. That doesn't mean re-signing everyone is the right move, however.

With a Super Bowl ring on their resume, many of Seattle's pending free agents can command a higher salary on the open market. That includes Kenneth Walker, whom Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport believes could be a huge bust waiting to happen. Davenport isn't saying Walker is a bad player, and he admits that he's hitting free agency at the right time.

"Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III is riding high right now," Davenport wrote.

"After topping 1,000 rushing yards in the regular season and averaging a career-high 4.6 yards per carry, he went on a rampage in the postseason that included a 27-carry, 135-yard outburst in Seattle's win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX that earned Walker MVP honors."

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Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald and running back Kenneth Walker III celebrate with the Vince Lombardi trophy. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kenneth Walker needs to be paid for what he can do going forward, not for the title run

The problem is that Davenport believes Walker's dominance in the playoffs will lead to him being paid like a franchise back. That could be a problem, since his salary would be based on what he has done in the past, rather than what he offers in the future.

"Walker's playoff run was impressive. But paying guys for what they have already done instead of what they will do is one of free agency's most common blunders."

The Seahawks have had success with multiple backs, and while Walker was fun to watch in the postseason, he has too many holes in his game to overpay. He's not an ideal blocker, especially against the blitz, and isn't impactful in the passing game. For that reason, Seattle will likely look for a replacement and allow someone else to hand out the massive deal.

Seattle Seahawks running back Ken Walker III participates in a drill during OTA's at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Kenneth Walker needs to be paid for what he can do going forward, not for the title run

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