Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III appears to be headed to free agency this offseason and whether the New Orleans Saints sign him, he has a chance to dramatically change their offseason plan.
The Seahawks did not place a franchise tag on the Super Bowl LX MVP by Tuesday’s deadline and thus; Walker will head to the open market.
As Walker braces to make his decision, there are at least three choices he could make that would have a substantial impact on the Saints.
Choice 1: Re-sign in Seattle or sign with a team that selects after the Saints in the NFL Draft
Effectively, no matter where Walker signs, it’s likely his deal will surpass that of Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, who signed a three-year, $24 million deal with $16 million guaranteed.
That would then set the ceiling for the Saints’ expense at the position, should they decide to sign a different back this offseason.
Walker carried the football 221 times in 2026, gaining 1,027 rushing yards and five touchdown runs. He added 31 catches for 282 receiving yards, as well. In the playoffs, he averaged over 100 rushing yards over the team’s three matchups and scored four touchdowns.
The contract the back agrees to will likely set the bar for 2026’s largest running back deal.
If New Orleans were to pursue Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. in the meanwhile, the club could rest assured that his deal will fall south of Walker’s number.
Choice 2: Sign with a team that drafts ahead of New Orleans
Not only would this move set the market at running back this offseason, it would also likely take a team out of contention at the top of the draft for Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love.
Walker has been consistently mused about signing with the New York Giants, for instance. New York is also a constant potential landing spot for Love in expert mocks. Should the Giants, Arizona Cardinals or Tennessee Titans sign Walker, it would increase the likelihood of Love making it to the Saints at pick No. 8.
Choice 3: Sign with the Saints
This is the longshot, but would have a huge impact on the Saints’ offseason. Such a signing would cost the Saints a pretty penny at the position, especially for a team already on the hook for an $18.6 million cap hit for veteran back Alvin Kamara, largest among NFL backs in 2026. .
While $6.5 million of Kamara’s $11.5 million isn’t guaranteed, unless that’s renegotiated rather than restructured, it will be a big investment already at the position.
However, if the team made some adjustments, signing Walker would then be a worthwhile expense. Doing so would completely settle the team’s running back room from a top-end prospect, which would then leave only smaller moves to be made such as depth signings, late-round picks and perhaps undrafted free agent additions.
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