Seahawks May Regret Not Signing Kenneth Walker III After Chiefs Debut

Kenneth Walker III looked like the Super Bowl MVP he was with the Seattle Seahawks in the Kansas City Chiefs' Week 1 victory against the Denver Broncos.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Denver Broncos. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seattle Seahawks fans are looking at a familiar name when it comes to the top of the rushing leaderboard after the first week of games.

Kenneth Walker III had more rushing yards than any player in Week 1, logging 173 in his debut with the Kansas City Chiefs in their 31-10 rout against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.

For Walker, the performance transcended anything he had ever done in four years with the Seahawks. His previous career high came in his rookie year, when he ran for 167 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-23 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Now that Walker is already reaching new heights with the Chiefs, it begs the question whether the Seahawks made a mistake not bringing him back into the fold after winning Super Bowl MVP honors.

Did Seahawks Make Mistake Not Bringing Back Kenneth Walker III?

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III rushes the ball against the Denver Broncos. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seahawks were open to bringing Walker back to Seattle after winning the Super Bowl MVP trophy, but they weren't willing to pay him as much as the Chiefs. Walker signed a three-year, $43.05 million deal, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. Therefore, coming up with the best rushing performance in the league certainly makes the deal worthwhile.

Category	Value
Total Value	$43.05 million
Guaranteed Money	$28.7 million
Signing Bonus	$13 million
Average Annual Salary (AAV)	$14.35 million
Contract Length	3 Years
Free Agency Year	2029

Walker's night was highlighted by a 60-yard run that found the end zone during the opening drive in the second half. He also caught a pass from Patrick Mahomes later in the game that put things far out of reach for the Denver Broncos to come back.

It remains to be seen if Walker will be able to maintain this level of production. If he were, he would, without question, be the league's best running back. The Seahawks will probably shake their heads a bit, knowing they had a chance to keep him with a new deal or the franchise tag.

The Seahawks were only willing to pay around $10 million per year, which was far short of what the Chiefs were able to offer. Kansas City is reaping those benefits now, but it's far too early to determine if they won this free agency battle or not. The determination of who came out on top will unfold over the course of the season.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —

Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks Newsletter