Overview
- Kenneth Walker III was named Super Bowl LX MVP after 161 yards on 29 touches in Seattle’s 29-13 win over New England, capping a postseason with 417 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns.
- Walker’s four-year rookie contract is complete, making him an unrestricted free agent in mid‑March, with published projections ranging from about $9 million AAV over four years to ~$12 million AAV tiers.
- The franchise tag for running backs is projected around $14–14.5 million for 2026, though GM John Schneider has used the tag only twice in 15 years, according to multiple reports.
- Seattle enters the offseason with roughly $72–73 million in projected cap space, and Zach Charbonnet’s torn ACL heightens Walker’s importance in the backfield.
- A parade quip by Schneider that Walker tried to negotiate on the spot went viral; Walker later denied it on Instagram, as reports from outlets like CBS and PFR indicate there is little doubt he remains in Seattle with the structure still to be decided.