Running back Kenneth Walker III’s free agency departure took away one of the key aspects of the Seattle Seahawks’ offense in 2025.
The Seahawks exceled at creating explosive plays with the ball in their hands during their run to a Super Bowl title, and Walker’s electric running out of the backfield was a major part of that.
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Walker had explosive runs on 14.9% of his 221 carries last season, the second-highest mark among running backs with at least 150 attempts, per NFL NextGen Stats. He had 10 runs of 20 yards or more and 18 of at least 15 yards, both third in the league according to Pro Football Focus.
Unfortunately for the Seahawks, finding another running back who can replicate Walker’s playmaking ability isn’t an easy task, but they may already have a player on the roster at another position who can help make up for what they’re losing in the explosive-plays department.
When ESPN’s Benjamin Solak joined Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on Thursday, he pointed to wide receiver Rashid Shaheed as someone who could replace some of Walker’s big-play abilities.
“The first player that comes to mind is Rashid Shaheed, where Shaheed was at times a two-touch player, a three-touch player in his first few games there after the trade,” Solak said. “But obviously the explosives is what matters, right? I don’t need to remind Seahawks fans of the win over the Rams in Week 16 where Shaheed just has one huge run, one huge punt return, and all of a sudden the Seahawks are back in that game. He’s got that sort of lightning-in-a-bottle ability.”
Shaheed’s biggest contributions after arriving in a midseason trade from New Orleans last season came via his three return touchdowns, which included a kickoff return TD in the playoffs. But the hope is he can provide more on offense with a full offseason to build his connection with quarterback Sam Darnold.
Shaheed can also make an impact in the running game. He had 13 carries for 91 yards in his 12 games, including the playoffs, with the Seahawks last season, with his longest run going for 31 yards in Week 16 against the Rams. New offensive coordinator Brian Fleury also has some experience working in an offense that incorporates its receivers into the run game. Five of Fleury’s six seasons on the offensive side of San Francisco’s coaching staff were when versatile receiver Deebo Samuel was with the team. Samuel had at least 37 carries in four of those seasons, including a career-high 59 carries for 365 yards and eight TDs in 2021.
“Shaheed’s is gonna be your answer for, OK, we’ve now paid the guy to be a clear wide receiver two. Can we get him to six to eight consistent touches, whether they are carries or targets, and then you can recreate some of those explosives,” Solak said.
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