BREAKING: Kenneth Walker III Finished With the Seahawks

March 04, 2026
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III reacts during 2026 Super Bowl game.

The writing is on the wall in Seattle. 

After Kenneth Walker III hit free agency, the Seattle Seahawks chose not to use the franchise tag, a decision that’s only pouring gas on the idea that their Super Bowl hero is about to cash out somewhere else. 

With the tag number landing north of $14 million for running backs, Seattle’s stance screams “test the market,” and the rest of the league is absolutely listening.

Kenneth Walker III rumors point to a Seahawks breakup

Multiple reports tie this to two things: Walker’s price climbing and Seattle’s comfort level with options behind him. 

ESPN’s reporting indicated the Seahawks were not tagging Walker, and once that door stays open into the new league year, it only takes one team to come in hot with a bigger number or better guarantees.

The 25-year-old recorded 1,027 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on 221 carries. He also added 31 receptions for 282 yards across 17 games played. 

Seahawks have a Zach Charbonnet plan if Walker walks

The other piece is Zach Charbonnet’s workload and production rising, which gives Seattle a real fallback if Walker bolts. 

Charbonnet logged 184 carries and posted career highs across the board in 2025, including 12 rushing touchdowns, and the Seahawks can sell themselves on a cheaper RB1 path while Walker hunts top dollar.

That being said, Charbonnet recently underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL, which will knock him out for a good chunk of next season, putting the Seahawks in a tricky situation if they can't bring back Walker.

Seattle can still try to bring him back if the bidding stalls, but passing on the tag is the kind of move teams make when they’re usually preparing to move on from a player.

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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