Kenneth Walker, Houston texans
Getty
Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans during the Super Bowl LX victory celebration.
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio expects to add to their backfield, which currently has three players under contract for 2026, and the free agency landscape has already seen a major shift that will impact those plans.
The Texans face a significant, if not insurmountable, hurdle to Breece Hall, whom the New York Jets plan to tag if they cannot reach a long-term deal.
However, they have and are expected to explore other big-name options like Kenneth Walker III.
Texans Urged to Target Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker III in Free Agency
Kenneth Walker III, Houston Texans
GettyKenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks looks on before a game against the Minnesota Vikings.
KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported in an article on February 24 that the Texans are “expected to explore the high-end running back market,” naming Walker among the possible targets.
Fittingly, NFL.com’s Nick Shook named the Texans as a team that should be on the phone with Walker’s representatives this coming offseason. The Seattle Seahawks want Walker back, but their other obligations could force him out the door.
“He’ll likely fetch a better offer outside of Seattle and owes it to himself to at least listen to other interested parties,” Shook wrote on February 24. “Houston should absolutely become one of those parties. Joe Mixon’s mysterious foot ailment cost him all of 2025, forcing the Texans to rely on rookie Woody Marks and diminished veteran Nick Chubb. The results were largely forgettable.
“If the Texans are serious about finding a way to advance to Championship Weekend, they’ll need to upgrade at running back. They can clear $8 million in cap space by cutting Mixon with a post-June 1 designation, opening the right amount of money to immediately hand to Walker in what might be a backloaded deal in order to fit him into their cap.”
Walker has generated plenty of buzz in recent weeks as an option for prospective suitors, but he also comes with some significant red flags the Texans would be wise to account for.
The Texans enter the offseason over the salary cap, and Walker is due for a noteworthy raise from his current four-year, $8.4 million contract with the Seahawks. Spotrac projected his market value at $9 million annually, offering a four-year, $36 million pact as an example.
Red Flags Raised About Kenneth Walker III
kenneth walker iii
Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks looks on during a practice ahead of Super Bowl LX.
Walker rushed for 1,027 yards in 2025. It was Walker’s second time crossing the 1,000-yard mark and third time surpassing 900 yards on the ground, which could appeal to the Texans.
Like most free agents, though, Walker’s game has warts.
He is not a strong pass blocker and has garnered a mixed reputation as a receiver, despite recording at least 27 receptions in every season of his career and 250-plus yards over the past three seasons.
Shook also noted that Walker’s production ticked up once the Seahawks lost Zach Charbonnet to an injury.
There is also the history of high-paid veteran running backs.
Mixon is a prime example of why the Texans could avoid spending heavily on a veteran despite their interest in players who would require them to do so. They could complement Walker with recent draftees Jawhar Jordan and, even more, Marks.
Still, signing Walker in free agency could make more sense for the Texans on paper than it does in reality once the cycle begins, with legal tampering allowed starting on March 9.