The Seattle Seahawks had some tough decisions to make regarding key players who helped them win Super Bowl LX. One of the players that Seattle let walk as a free agent was Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III.
On March 9, ESPN’s Brady Henderson reported that Walker received a three-year deal with a $43.05 million base value and $28.7 million in fully guaranteed money from the Kansas City Chiefs, which led him to leave Seattle.
Walker totaled 1,309 scrimmage yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry during the regular season, both career highs. Moreover, his production went up in the postseason. After scoring a career-low five touchdowns during the regular season, the former Seahawks star scored four in three playoff games while totaling 417 scrimmage yards.
During an interview on March 28, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke about the team’s newest offensive weapon to help Kansas City bounce back from missing the playoffs.
“He’s a good football player, and it won’t change. He’s not gonna change coming to us,” Reid said (h/t NFL.com). “He’s still going to be a good football player. As long as he stays healthy and moves forward, good things can happen for you.
“We know that the run game’s important and we’ve got good offensive linemen in front of him, so that will be a plus for him. It should be a plus for our football team.”
Seahawks Get Draft Prospects to Replace Kenneth Walker III
With Walker now gone, Seattle did add Emanuel Wilson in free agency, but that’s not a player who can potentially be an RB1. So, who could the Seahawks target in the upcoming draft? ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes floated two names that should be on the team’s radar.
“Just throw out running back because [the Seahawks] really need one,” Kimes said on the March 18 edition of “The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny. “ “Kenneth Walker III’s gone. Zach Charbonnet’s hurt. They brought in Emanuel Wilson, who’s just depth. [Seahawks general manager] John Schneider will probably get to do his favorite thing in the entire world, which is draft a running back in the second round.
“I wouldn’t mind, like, Jonah Coleman from Washington, although he apparently is just not athletic testing, which is weird. But he’s a good back… There are some interesting mid-round backs. We talked about this. Mike Washington Jr., who’s a really, really fast Arkansas back, would be an interesting one for them as well. But it is a glaring area of need.”
Jonah Coleman Could Be Compelling Option for Seattle
Kimes isn’t the only one who believes that the Seahawks should target Jonah Coleman. Seattle Sports’ Brock Huard believes the former Washington Huskies star would be an ideal fit for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
“Could Jonah Coleman be a Seattle Seahawk?” Huard said on Feb. 24 (h/t Seattle Sports). “… Because if that body needed transformation in college, that’s not always a great projection into the NFL.
“But he did it, and he’s going to be in phenomenal shape here. Keep an eye on (him). In a very weak running back class with a couple of guys at the very top, he will be one of the more intriguing backs.”
Andy Reid Gets Blunt About Former Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III