Seahawks reportedly won't place franchise tag on Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III
- - Seahawks reportedly won't place franchise tag on Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III
Chris Cwik February 17, 2026 at 9:16 AM
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Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III is about to hit free agency at the best possible time. Coming off arguably his best game in the NFL — after which he was named Super Bowl MVP — Walker will reportedly be allowed to explore other options.
The Seahawks reportedly won't use their franchise tag on Walker, allowing the running back to become an unrestricted free agent, according to ESPN. That would enable Walker to field offers from other teams as he decides where he wants to play next.
The Seahawks reportedly don't want to use the tag on Walker because the team has a number of other free agents it needs to resign. The team reportedly also wants to extend star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who led the NFL in receiving yards last season.
By tagging Walker, the Seahawks would commit to spending roughly $14.5 million on the running back for next season. If the Seahawks handed Walker a transition tag, that figure would drop to $11.7 million. A transition tag would allow the Seahawks to match any offer Walker received on the open market. In the final year of his rookie contract, Walker's base salary was just $1.8 million.
Walker, 25, was a force in Super Bowl LX, rushing for 135 yards and catching two passes for 26 yards in the Seahawks' 29-13 win over the New England Patriots. With that performance, Walker became the first running back since Denver Broncos great Terrell Davis to be named Super Bowl MVP.
The Seahawks' gambit might pay off. Following the team's Super Bowl win, general manager John Schneider claimed Walker tried to negotiate a new contract with the team at the Super Bowl parade. Walker laughed that off, saying he never made those claims.
While the two still need to get on the same page, it's clear the Seahawks would gladly take Walker back. Schneider said as much ahead of Super Bowl LX. That likely hasn't changed after Walker turned in a fantastic performance in the game.
Since being selected by the Seahawks with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Walker has flashed big upside when on the field. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting after rushing for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns. But Walker has battled injuries and workload management since then. While he's still been a good player when on the field, Walker has not exceeded his rookie rushing-yard total. He came close in 2025 while playing in all 17 games for the first time in his career, but just fell short.
Walker's health will be key moving forward. It's the one area in which he could get dinged on the free-agent market, but it's also the one advantage he could have over the Seahawks in negotiations. With co-starter Zach Charbonnet dealing with a knee injury, the Seahawks would face a massive hole in their depth chart if Walker leaves. The Seahawks haven't announced a timeline for Charbonnet's return, but said his knee injury was "significant," hinting at the possibility he could miss time next season.
NFL teams are allowed to start tagging players Tuesday and have until March 3 to make that move. Walker is among the bigger names who could receive a tag. That list includes Dallas Cowboys wideout George Pickens and New York Jets running back Breece Hall, among others.
Source: “AOL Sports”
