The Super Bowl LX Most Valuable Player might be headed to the open market.
The Seattle Seahawks did not use their franchise tag on running back Kenneth Walker III ahead of the league's Tuesday deadline to tag players.
With the new league year and free agency approaching next week, Seattle is left with two options: Work out a new deal with Walker before the start of free agency on March 11, or risk losing him to another suitor.
Despite Walker's Super Bowl LX performance -- a 161-scrimmage-yard outing in which he paced Seattle's offense and proved vital enough to earn the game's top honor -- it appears the Seahawks could have more interest in using their projected $63.6 million in cap space to retain other pending free agents than dedicating a significant chunk of that total toward keeping Walker. Those free agents include receiver/returner Rashid Shaheed, edge rusher Boye Mafe and defensive backs Tariq Woolen, Josh Jobe and Coby Bryant, among others.
For a Seattle team that won its second Lombardi Trophy with its strength being that of its "Dark Side" defense, it's understandable if general manager John Schneider would rather keep as much of that unit together as possible. It makes more sense when considering Walker has only broken 1,000 yards twice over four seasons and was part of a tandem backfield with Zach Charbonnet until the latter suffered a season-ending injury in the playoffs.
Unlike the top seven running backs on the salary charts, Walker is not an essential piece in Seattle. He filled a crucial role in the Seahawks' pursuit of the Lombardi Trophy in the 2025 season and displays a silky smooth running style that maximized a significant portion of his carries during the campaign, but isn't so vital to the Seahawks' operation that he should command top dollar -- or an average of the top five salaries at the position, a number the franchise tag would have paid him in 2026.
Perhaps the Seahawks will allow Walker to test the market in order to gauge his value and hope Walker circles back to Seattle. It's a risk, but if Schneider can't get a deal done with Walker prior to the start of free agency, it's one the Seahawks appear to be willing to take.
