Kenneth Walker III
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The Seahawks aren't expected to place their franchise tag on running back Kenneth Walker III
The Seattle Seahawks may have just won Super Bowl LX, but the team’s work for the upcoming 2026 campaign has already begun. There’s good reason to believe that the Seahawks can remain a top championship contender in future seasons, but in order for that goal to become a reality, the team needs to put together a strong body of work during the offseason.
The first order of business for the front office will involve finding a way to keep its current crop of players in town. Several key guys are set to hit the open market, with one of them being running back Kenneth Walker III, who just won Super Bowl LX MVP a little over a week ago. Walker’s future with the team is uncertain, and the latest update on his status won’t make fans feel great about the Seahawks’ chances of bringing him back to town.
Seahawks Not Expected to Use the Franchise Tag on Kenneth Walker III
It’s unlikely the Seahawks will use their franchise tag on running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, per league sources. The Seahawks have multiple free agents they want to retain and sign. They also will try to extend WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. There are enough Super-Bowl tax… https://t.co/9xbtIgLNn7 pic.twitter.com/XdfkNk16kf
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 17, 2026
A second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Walker has established himself as a key piece of the team’s offense during his first four seasons in the league. Despite splitting carries with Zach Charbonnet, Walker finished the 2025 campaign with 1,027 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, while also catching 31 passes for another 282 yards.
Walker chose a great time to have one of the best games of his career in Super Bowl LX, as he was the only consistent source of offense for either team in this game. Walker finished with 135 yards on 27 carries, while also recording a pair of receptions for 26 more yards. Those numbers helped Walker become the first running back since Terrell Davis to win Super Bowl MVP.
With free agency looming, Walker is likely going to get paid this offseason. Seattle would like to keep him around, but it simply may end up getting priced out of his market. The team could conceivably place the franchise tag on Walker and try to negotiate a long-term deal with him, but reports indicate that won’t be happening.
“It’s unlikely the Seahawks will use their franchise tag on running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, per league sources,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported in a post on X. “The Seahawks have multiple free agents they want to retain and sign. They also will try to extend WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. There are enough Super-Bowl tax costs that now make using a franchise tag this off-season unlikely.”
Kenneth Walker III Takes Big Step Towards Leaving the Seahawks
Kenneth Walker
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 18: Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after a first down during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field on December 18, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Re-signing Walker was always going to be tough for the Seahawks this offseason, and his winning Super Bowl MVP won’t exactly make things easier for them. Placing the franchise tag on Walker was likely Seattle’s best avenue for keeping him in town, but it doesn’t seem like the front office is interested in doing that, given all the other items they have on their offseason to-do list.
If Walker wants to accept a cheaper deal in order to return to the Seahawks, then the team could likely find a way to bring him back to town. With Charbonnet manning the backfield, though, Seattle may have to let Walker leave in order to use its cap space to address other areas of the roster. Things can change in an instant in the NFL, but it’s looking increasingly likely that Super Bowl LX was Walker’s final game with Seattle.