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Kenneth Walker III of the Seattle Seahawks was awarded the coveted MVP award for being the most valuable player in the Super Bowl.
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III earned himself a Super Bowl MVP trophy, and next could come a big payday.
Walker is headed to free agency after a breakout season with the Seahawks, unlocking a strong ground attack and powering the team to a Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots. One analyst believes that Walker played himself to the top tier of NFL running backs, which could cost the Seahawks dearly if they aim to keep him.
Seahawks May Need to Pony Up to Keep Kenneth Walker III
Brendon Nelson of SI.com predicted that Walker earned himself a significant raise with his coming contract. Nelson predicted that Walker would match one of the most recent big-money contracts, the one the Buffalo Bills gave to James Cook just prior to the 2025 season.
Walker is coming off a season with 1,027 yards and five touchdowns, all despite splitting carries with Zach Charbonnet. Walker added another 31 receptions for 282 yards.
While his overall prediction falls short of what Cook has given the Bills in the past few seasons, Nelson predicted that Walker would seize the moment after his Super Bowl performance and garner a big payday.
“Understanding that the salary cap goes up every year, but that running back contracts don’t climb very rapidly unless you’re the absolute cream of the crop, let’s find a projection,” Nelson wrote. “Give me the four years and $46 million, identical to the James Cook extension. Obviously, he hasn’t been as good as Cook, but the circumstances dictate the same deal in my estimation.”
Nelson wrote that it’s “not even close to a crippling deal” for the Seahawks to pay, and they could get several more productive seasons if they utilize Walker wisely.
“A smart team should be able to get that much value out of him,” Nelson wrote. “Pace him, use a secondary running back, and make sure he has something left for the end of the season. It’s a fair deal, and one that I think will keep this team dangerous on offense while allowing Walker to cash in on his success.”
Another Analyst Predicts Kenneth Walker III Returns to Seattle
Others have joined Nelson in predicting the Seahawks hold onto their Super Bowl star. Greg Auman of Fox Sports ranked Walker as the No. 6 free agent this offseason, but believes the Seahawks won’t let him hit the open market.
Auman wrote that the Seahawks likely would have extended the 25-year-old running back even before his strong playoff run, which became an even greater certainty after a season-ending injury to Charbonnet.
But Auman had a slightly lower projection than Nelson, predicting that Walker would hover around $10 million per season under a new deal.
“Can he clear $10 million a year on a new contract?” Auman wrote. “The Seahawks are a Super Bowl team still somehow ranked in the top five in available cap space for 2026, so it’s hard to imagine them not paying to bring him back as a central part of their offense moving forward.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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