Why Seahawks Aren't Worried About Losing Kenneth Walker III

Seattle Seahawks are weathering the loss of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, who signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs just before the official start of free agency.

With Walker gone, it leaves a massive hole in the running game for the Seahawks, but the team hasn't been panicking. The only outside free agent the team assigned is Emmanuel Wilson, who has just two starts to his name through three years in the NFL. ESPN insider Brady Henderson believes the reason why the Seahawks are unafraid of losing Walker is partially due to the belief in George Holani.

"The Seahawks believe George Holani is capable of being the No. 2 running back. They'll continue to look to add to their backfield after losing Walker and signing Wilson. Wilson is a power back who could be Seattle's fill-in for Zach Charbonnet, who is likely to sit out much of the 2026 season following knee surgery," Henderson wrote.

"They still need a back to replace Walker's explosiveness. But don't discount Holani's ability to factor into their backfield mix after he performed well in the No. 2 role in the playoffs once Charbonnet went down."

George Holani Due For Big Role

Seattle Seahawks running back George Holani against the Arizona Cardinals. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With Walker walking in free agency and Charbonnet dealing with an uncertain timetable for a return, the Seahawks need to rely on someone else to be a workhorse in the backfield. Based on last year's depth chart, Holani is the natural person to step into place.

In 11 games with the Seahawks this past season, Holani had 22 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown. He also had two catches for 15 yards. The stats don't say much of the story because he was behind Walker and Charbonnet in the depth chart, but the team has liked what he has brought to the table over the last two seasons.

General manager John Schneider has sung his praises in the past, and if the team didn't feel confident in what he could bring, they would have signed a veteran with more starting experience.

The Seahawks can still do that, and they can also select a player in the draft that has a higher ceiling than Holani, but the team doesn't have the urgency to go out and make a move, so it points to their confidence in the third-year pro out of Boise State.

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