Analysis: Is Seahawks’ Backfield Situation Post-Ken Walker III’s Exit Better Than Perceived?

As expected to happen for a defending Super Bowl champion, the Seattle Seahawks have lost several key players from their championship squad to open the free agency period this week with other teams eager to add talent in a league built around the premise of parity.

Arguably the most notable departure for Seattle, Super Bowl LX MVP Ken Walker III received a record-setting free agent deal for a running back, signing the dotted line to join the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year deal worth up to $45 million with nearly $30 million in guaranteed salary. This loss would have stung for the Seahawks no matter what, but the potential negative impact of the four-year starter’s exit was further exacerbated by Zach Charbonnet suffering a torn ACL during the team’s playoff run and not undergoing surgery until late February, likely sidelining him until at least October, if not longer.

In the aftermath of Walker bolting, which happened mere minutes into the NFL’s tampering period on Monday, the Seahawks were linked to the likes of Tyler Allgeier, Kenneth Gainwell, and Rico Dowdle, only for those three players to quickly sign elsewhere as the free agent running back crop rapidly got picked down before the new league year officially began. Other veterans such as Rachaad White remained available, but wound up signing with other teams as well, much to the frustration of fans wondering when the team would make move to try to bolster the backfield.