The Seattle Seahawks opted to let Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III walk in free agency.
The Seahawks declined to tag Walker before the March 3 deadline, clearing the path for the 25-year-old to test the open market. Walker closed out his rookie deal in style, finishing with the second 1,000-yard season of his career, but it was the playoffs that changed everything.
When Zach Charbonnet went down with a torn ACL in the divisional round, Walker took over. He compiled 417 total yards and four touchdowns over three postseason games and was named Super Bowl LX MVP.
Sources close to the situation report Walker’s market value will exceed $13 million annually, a number Seattle has made clear it cannot match.
Multiple teams are expected to explore the market for the 25-year-old running back, but early free agency rumors suggest two franchises have already positioned themselves as the most aggressive suitors.
K9 update from a canine, I've been told that the #Chiefs are the current favorite to land Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. The #Giants have also been interested #ChiefsKingdom #NYGiants pic.twitter.com/ZQ5DLfq7yM
— Rickey (@RickeyScoops) March 6, 2026
Chiefs Could Sign Walker After Clearing Cap Space
Kansas City entered the offseason more than $57 million over the salary cap. Six weeks later, the situation has flipped entirely. Four moves generated a combined $86 million in savings.
Combined with the NFL’s new $301.2 million cap, Kansas City now holds nearly $98 million in available space, the 14th most in the league.
That flexibility arrives at a critical moment.
The Chiefs went 6-11 last season. They ranked 25th in rushing, averaging 106.6 yards per game. Isiah Pacheco, their starter for four seasons, did not record a single rushing attempt of 20 or more yards all year. Kareem Hunt, who led the team in rushing with only 611 yards, had just one explosive run.
Both Pacheco and Hunt are now impending free agents, leaving Kansas City with Brashard Smith and ShunDerrick Powell as the only running backs under contract for 2026.
GM Brett Veach has been blunt about what comes next.
“Certainly, we want to get more explosive in the running game,” he said at the start of the offseason. “We’ve invested in the interior with Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey, two of the best in the league. All we need to finish the goal is a new starting running back.”
Walker is the most direct answer to that mandate and Kansas City has been linked to him since the start of the offseason. He is a proven every-down workhorse — powerful enough to run between the tackles and dynamic enough to threaten defenses as a receiver.
With Mahomes recovering from knee surgery, Walker’s ability to control the clock and carry a full workload makes him a perfect fit in Andy Reid’s offense.
Giants Are a Natural Fit Under Harbaugh
The Giants’ pursuit of Walker has been well-publicized over the past two weeks.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported New York was evaluating Walker at the Combine and The Athletic’s Dan Duggan confirmed they have “shown interest”.
John Harbaugh developed some of the best rushing offenses in the league during his time in Baltimore. Adding Walker gives the Giants a chance to take on the identity of their head coach.
Greg Roman, who is also known for relying on the run, is serving as a senior offensive assistant on Harbaugh’s staff.
Walker has already proven that he can be a true workhorse back who can carry 20-plus times a game, but he was also highly effective in a platoon situation with Charbonnet in Seattle. Pairing him with another bruiser in Cam Skattebo would allow him to remain fresh all season.
Walker’s versatility as both a runner and a receiver out of the backfield is also precisely what offensive coordinator Matt Nagy’s system demands.
In a system built on balance, Walker could quickly become the engine that drives the entire offense.
