The Seahawks might have to brace themselves for free agency.
One thing we know coming out of the scouting combine for the Seattle Seahawks is that it will be a tall order to keep some of their free agents.
With a host of key starters set to test the market in the coming weeks, while Seattle has ample cap room, common sense tells us that the franchise will pick and choose who they want to return.
The big name on the list is running back Kenneth Walker.
The Super Bowl MVP has seen his stock soar with each passing day, to the point where we aren't sure if the Seahawks see it as a feasible move to retain him.
We have seen Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer write that Walker could command $14 million APY on the open market, which would push him into the top-5 highest-paid running backs in the NFL.
Can the Seahawks stomach that? I'm not so sure.
And here comes The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar. He thinks the Seahawks will need to win a bidding war to retain Walker.
"Retaining Ken Walker III may require a legitimate bidding war," Dugar wrote. "His injury history could give some suitors pause, but I get the sense he’ll have options on the open market.
"Playoff teams — or those who were on the cusp last season — will have interest in adding an explosive young player like Walker to their backfield. Schneider doesn’t like tagging players, but an eight-figure salary in that range could be what it takes to have Walker’s services for the 2026 season."
We already know, based on reports, that tagging Walker doesn't appear to be in Seattle's plans, and Dugar's comments here back that up.
So that leaves two options.
Let Walker strut his way out into free agency, or sign him to a long-term deal.
And no, I don't see a reason for Kenneth to give a discount to stay in Seattle unless his heart is really set on staying with the NFC West franchise.
So the Seahawks will have a big decision to make in the coming weeks as free agency approaches. And it is worth noting that Zach Charbonnet is recovering from an ACL injury and will likely miss a decent portion of 2026 as well.
So, a revamped run game for Sam Darnold in 2026 appears to be closer to a reality for Seattle right now.
Of course, it could change, but the price might not be right for the Seahawks to keep Walker.