Walker's playoff heroics elevate his value, potentially pushing him beyond the Seahawks' reach as he heads into free agency.
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker knew he had to produce in the NFC Championship game with Zach Charbonnet out, and he did just that.
Much of the focus was on how Walker would handle the increased workload without Charbonnet as his backup, but he once again proved he can be counted on.
Walker would rush for 62 yards and a touchdown from 19 carries, while having four receptions for 49 yards as well.
Those numbers don't seem like much, but context is key.
Kenneth set the tone early for Seattle.
On the Seahawks' first two drives, Walker had eight rushing attempts for 35 yards, which included a two-yard touchdown. But he also proved to be a menace as a receiver, with two catches for 24 yards.
So, he made the Rams defense have to account for him early in the game, which allowed others to break free (Jaxon Smith-Njigba 10 rec, 153 yards, 1 TD).
And Walker's impact wasn't lost on head coach Mike Macdonald.
"He had a lot of great runs,” Macdonald said. “He really did, and talk about hidden yardage within that game, and he's responsible for a lot of those hidden yards. Like to block [for] him a little bit better at some points, but when you have a guy like K9, he can make it right for you. So that was awesome.”
Walker has been the heartbeat of the Seahawks' playoff run, and now he is set to play a starring role in Santa Clara in the Super Bowl.
But Walker's recent form might be a problem for the Seahawks.
Set to be a free agent, Kenneth's value keeps rising with each passing game.
His early work agaisnt the Rams was a sight to behold, with L.A. having no answer to his brutal running style, not to mention his effectiveness as a receiver.
A genuine dual-threat weapon.
In his two playoff games, Walker has rushed for 178 yards and 4 TDs, while having seven receptions for 78 yards as well.
Spotrac.com has Walker's calculated market value at $8.4 million APY, but you can make the case that something north of that could be coming his way.
After all, he could be a Super Bowl-winner as well entering the offseason.
So the Seahawks are raving about Walker's playoff performances, but it might be a double-edged sword: in the process, he might have made it impossible for him to stick around in 2026.