Kenneth Walker III entered the offseason as one of the most coveted free agents available on the market. Fresh off being named the Super Bowl MVP, the explosive 25-year-old running back hit the open market and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He figures to be an integral piece for Kansas City as it looks to get back to the postseason in 2026, while the Seattle Seahawks will need to replace Walker’s production as they look to defend their Super Bowl title.
Why Seahawks GM John Schneider Isn’t Worried About the Running Back Position
Seattle employed a thunder-and-lightning approach to its running back position over the last few seasons, divvying up the carries, but it will need to get creative in 2026 to replicate that as things stand today. In addition to losing Walker, Seattle may be without another key piece of its backfield for a portion of the 2026 season. Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, and his timeline to return is unclear.
Walker and Charbonnet ranked No. 16 and No. 39, respectively, in PFSN’s Running Back Impact Metric (RBi) in 2025. The Super Bowl MVP carried the ball 221 times for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns, while Charbonnet served as the bruiser, carrying the ball 184 times for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns.
However, despite the uncertainty, the Seahawks are not worried about the position group and are confident in what they have.
“That’s a position where you can find guys . . . but George [Holani] did a great job and we’re really excited about Emanuel Wilson,” said Seahawks general manager John Schneider when asked about the team’s running back room. “We know where we’re at right now.”
Holani has had minimal involvement through two years in Seattle, only carrying the ball 25 times for 83 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Wilson has shown some flashes during his time in Green Bay while playing second fiddle to Josh Jacobs in the backfield. Through three seasons, Wilson has rushed 242 times for 1,083 yards and seven touchdowns.
While Schneider mentions liking the players they have on the roster, he also acknowledged the ability to find guys at the position. Seattle has had success finding talent in the NFL draft over the past few years and could look to add to its backfield via the draft in 2026.
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The top-ranked running back, Jeremiyah Love, is expected to be long gone by the time Seattle is on the clock. Running back prospects that could intrigue at some point during the draft include Jonah Coleman, Jadarian Price, Emmett Johnson, Mike Washington, and others.
While Seattle’s running back room is set to look very different in 2026, the team has proven it can develop young talent and find players who can contribute to winning right away. The Seahawks proved the doubters wrong at the quarterback position in 2025 en route to a Super Bowl victory and will look to do so at running back in 2026.
