Kenneth Walker
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Bleacher Report's Matt Holder encouraged the Seattle Seahawks to trade running back Kenneth Walker for future NFL draft picks.
The Seattle Seahawks have no shortage of young talent on the roster with a handful of potential Pro Bowl-caliber players under the age of 25. Names like Devon Witherspoon, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Byron Murphy II all come to mind as ascending players who could ascend to greatness in 2025.
Yet, one ESPN writer believes Kenneth Walker III could actually be the biggest X factor for the Seahawks’ success, or failure, in 2025.
Could Kenneth Walker III Finally Put it All Together in 2025?
Benjamin Solak of ESPN recently dropped his ‘X Factor’ for every NFL team entering the 2025 NFL season, which saw him name Kenneth Walker as the player who could potentially make or break the Seahawks’ campaign.
Solak wrote, “New Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s offenses have been friendly to running backs. In 2021 with the Vikings, Dalvin Cook had 1,159 yards on 249 carries (4.7 yards a pop). Last year, the Saints’ Alvin Kamara had only 950 yards on 228 carries (4.2 yards per attempt), but he was on a tear before the line injuries hamstrung the offense — and Kubiak immediately got Kamara going in the air as a result.”
The change in offensive scheme and the improvements along the interior of the offensive line, particularly the addition of Grey Zabel, could do wonders for this Seattle rushing attack.
Walker is an explosive runner who is a threat to take any carry to the house every time he touches the football. Yet, he is coming off of the worst efficiency season of his career with just 3.75 yards per carry over his injury-riddled 2024 campaign.
Solak added, “Without question, Walker has the talent on the ground and through the air to benefit from Kubiak’s offense. But Walker hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since his rookie year, as inconsistent vision and nagging injuries have limited his down-to-down success. Explosiveness is the name of Walker’s game, and home runs will be there to hit if he trusts the blocking of the Seahawks’ improved line. Seattle figures to be a defense-driven team either way, but that formula works way better if you trust your back to salt away close games and tight leads. Walker still needs to earn that trust.”
Is Walker in Jeopardy of Losing His Leading Role to Zach Charbonnet in 2025?
Part of earning the trust of the coaching staff is staying healthy. When Walker missed six games last year due to injury, Zach Charbonnet made a strong case that the backfield should belong to him.
Charbonnet’s breakout game came against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14 with 134 rushing yards and two scores while adding another 59 yards on seven receptions to complete his 193 total yard masterpiece. The UCLA product finished the year with 909 total yards and nine total scores on just 177 touches. In direct comparison to Walker, Charbonnet’s 4.21 yards per carry bested the Michigan State product by a noteworthy margin.
If Walker’s efficiency issues from last season continue or he suffers another injury — Walker has been dealing with a foot injury this preseason — it could create an opportunity for Charbonnet to take the lead in this backfield in 2025.
Walker has proven he is a dynamic talent at the running back position, but this could be a make-or-break year in Seattle for the former Spartan.