The Kansas City Chiefs are signing former Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III in a move to upgrade their backfield at the start of free agency, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported.
Walker's deal is for three years and is worth up to $45 million with $28.7 million fully guaranteed, per The Insiders.
The signing cannot become official until when the league year opens on Wednesday.
Walker, 25, is coming off arguably his best season, earning game MVP honors in Super Bowl LX in leading the Seahawks past the Patriots last month. He also led the NFL in postseason rushes (65), rush yards (313) and rushing TDs (four) in three games in January and February.
Walker will become the first Super Bowl MVP to sign with a new team the following season since safety Dexter Jackson left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. He's just the fourth overall since free agency began in 1993 (Super Bowl XXXI MVP Desmond Howard went from the Green Bay Packers to the Raiders; Super Bowl XXX went from the Dallas Cowboys to the Raiders).
The Chiefs wanted to upgrade a rushing attack that ranked 25th in yards per game (106.6) and 20th in yards per carry (4.21). They especially struggled down the stretch, failing to surpass the 100-yard rush mark in each of the final four games of a disappointing season that saw Kansas City miss the playoffs for the first time since Andy Reid's second season with the team. Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco both had trying seasons, each averaging fewer than 4.0 yards per carry.
Walker was considered the top RB option in free agency this offseason. The Chiefs will be navigating an offseason in which Patrick Mahomes is in recovery from a torn ACL last year, which could put more of an emphasis on the run game.
The Seahawks were willing to let Walker test the market despite having ample salary-cap space. After Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the playoffs, Walker took over the lead role down the stretch. His absence leaves a question mark in the Seattle backfield early in free agency.
