Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III could leave the Seattle Seahawks. After a legendary Super Bowl game, Walker could hit the free agent market. There is one team Walker could be a perfect fit for: the Houston Texans.
How Kenneth Walker III Fills the Texans Hole at Running Back
The Texans’ running game seemed promising going into the 2025 season as they had Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon on the roster. Mixon had a great 2024 season for Houston’s offense as he had over 1,000 rushing yards and averaged 4.1 yards per carry.
However, Mixon did not play a single snap in 2025 due to injury. As Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com puts it, “The medical and contractual situations involving injured Texans veteran running back Joe Mixon remain unresolved. Mixon missed the entire season with a mysterious foot injury. The former Pro Bowl selection and team captain recently underwent surgery this offseason, according to general manager Nick Caserio.”
Given Mixon’s injury, their running backs were rookie Woody Marks and veteran Nick Chubb. However, despite the Texans trying to fix the issue, things did not improve.
Wilson said, “Chubb was signed to replace Mixon. However, Chubb didn’t regain his old form from his time with the Cleveland Browns. Marks emerged as the primary back and showed flashes…In the 28-16 AFC divisional round loss last Sunday to the New England Patriots, the running game was stonewalled. They rushed for 48 yards on 22 runs. Marks was held to 17 yards on 14 carries and lost a key fumble.”
Chubb was on a one-year deal, and with his performance being so-so, he is gone. Mixon also might be released due to medical reasons, so that leaves Marks on the team. So, enter Walker into the picture.
Walker would be an excellent fit on the Texans. The Texans and Seahawks play a very similar style of football. Both have some of the best defenses in the entire NFL and like to run the ball. Both starters for both teams carried the ball very similar about of times.
According to PFSN’s RB Impact metric, Walker earned a grade of D for the 2025 season despite his stellar Super Bowl performance. Marks didn’t fare any better with a grade of F.
Walker had 50% of the runs for the Seahawks, while Marks had 49% of the runs for the Texans. So, Walker has shown that he can be the lead power back of a team with a great defense.
Is It Likely That Houston Lands Walker?
The chances of Walker going to Houston are pretty high up there. If Walker does hit the market, the Texans have a lot going for them. Not only is their defense amazing, but they have some great receiving talent that would help draw focus away from the run game.
Texans star Receiver Nico Collins had 9.3 yards per target, which ranked pretty high this past season. That earned him a PFSN WR Impact metric grade of B for the 2025 season. Additionally, rookie receiver Jayden Higgins and Xavier Hutchinson also showed flashes of brilliance.
Additionally, there is a chance that the Seahawks will let Walker move on. As great as Walker was in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run this past postseason, the Seahawks also have running back Zach Charbonnet on the roster. Since joining Seattle in 2023, Charbonnet has had a total of 1,761 yards and has averaged 4.1 yards per carry. So, the Seahawks do have a good, viable option if Walker does go down to Texas.
In conclusion, there is a good chance that Walker will leave the Seahawks, and Houston would be an excellent landing spot. From the layout of the Texans to their talent, Walker could be the next great lead back in Houston.
