The Kansas City Chiefs are bolstering their running game with the addition of former Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo reported.
Walker, 25, is set to join Kansas City on a three-year deal worth up to $45 million, including $28.7 million fully guaranteed. The signing will officially take effect once the new league year opens on Wednesday.
The 2022 second-round pick comes off a stellar campaign in which he was named Super Bowl LX MVP, leading the Seahawks to a victory over the Patriots. Walker dominated the postseason, topping the NFL in rush attempts (65), rushing yards (313), and rushing touchdowns (four) across three games in January and February.
The Chiefs were seeking a boost in the backfield after finishing 25th in rushing yards per game (106.6) and 20th in yards per carry (4.21) in 2025. Kansas City struggled in the final stretch of the season, failing to eclipse 100 rushing yards in each of the last four games. Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco both averaged under 4.0 yards per carry, highlighting the need for a dynamic new option.
Walker was widely regarded as the top running back on the free-agent market, and Kansas City sees him as a key piece to help offset quarterback Patrick Mahomes’s recovery from a torn ACL last season, with a stronger emphasis on the ground game expected.
For the Seahawks, letting Walker hit free agency was a strategic choice despite ample salary-cap space. After Zach Charbonnet suffered a playoff-ending torn ACL, Walker assumed the lead role down the stretch, leaving a significant void in Seattle’s backfield as free agency begins.
