The Seattle Seahawks could lose Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker in NFL free agency. But with Zach Charbonnet remaining on the roster, the Seahawks might be able to replace Walker with another free agent running back. On Thursday, ESPN’s Ben Solak floated Kenneth Gainwell.
“Pittsburgh brought in Gainwell on a one-year deal, and by the end of the season, he had become quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ favorite receiver. His 486 receiving yards ranked fifth among running backs. He also had a 47% success rate on rushing attempts, which ranked sixth among qualifying backs. NFL Next Gen Stats lists him with 0.58 rushing yards over expected per carry, similar to star rushers such as the Jets‘ Breece Hall and Colts’ Jonathan Taylor,” wrote Solak.
“Gainwell seems like a great complement to Jordan Mason in Minnesota or Zach Charbonnet in Seattle.”
As Solak explained, Gainwell experienced, by far, his best NFL campaign. Yes, he contributed immensely as a pass-catcher, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers with 73 receptions.
But Gainwell also averaged a career-best 4.7 yards per carry.
Overall, Gainwell gained 537 rushing yards and 486 receiving yards. His 1,023 yards from scrimmage were nearly double his production from any of the first four campaigns of his career.
Why Seahawks Could Target Kenneth Gainwell
Substituting one running back named Kenneth for another could be on the table for the Seahawks if they lose their Super Bowl MVP.
Charbonnet sustained a torn ACL during the postseason. So the Seahawks won’t be able to replace Walker only with internal options. Finding a starter capable running back also seems unlikely for the Seahawks.
With Gainwell, though, Seattle would land a running back capable of being the top guy until Charbonnet returns.
Then after Charbonnet comes back, Gainwell could be a nice complement weapon. During 2025, Gainwell experienced his success in Pittsburgh while sharing the backfield with Jaylen Warren.
In his first four seasons with the Eagles, Gainwell averaged 296 rushing yards per season and 4.2 yards per carry. Behind a rushing average 0.5 yards greater in 2025, Gainwell eclipsed the 400-yard mark in rushing for the first time.
His Steelers teammates voted him team MVP.
During 2025, Gainwell set a new high with 187 touches. If Charbonnet is going to miss a majority of 2026, then Gainwell might not be the best fit for Seattle because he’s never carried a backfield for an entire season.
But assuming Charbonnet does return this fall, Gainwell would be a great addition to Seattle’s offense.
Projecting Gainwell’s Free Agency Value
The other reason Gainwell could be a great fit with the Seahawks is price.
If the Seahawks don’t re-sign Walker, they aren’t going to turn around and spend a lot on another running back. Gainwell, though, should be pretty cheap.
Spotrac projected the veteran running back to have just a $5.9 million market value on a 2-year deal. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper had a slightly higher projection, but he still capped Gainwell’s worth at $10 million on a 2-year contract.
That could prove to be roughly $40 million less than Walker overall, including $8-$10 million per season.
Popper ranked Gainwell the No. 104-best free agent this offseason. That’s a far drop from where Walker sat at No. 7 on the list.
But it’s not clear the Seahawks find Walker worth spending the extra money. That could especially be the case with someone very affordable like Gainwell available.
“Gainwell is a receiving back and a shifty, refined route runner from various alignments. He played 55 snaps in the slot in 2025, fourth-most among running backs,” Popper wrote. “He ranked fourth in receptions and fifth in receiving yards among running backs. Gainwell has receiver-like ball tracking in the deep part of the field and is a mismatch against less-mobile linebackers.
“He has a great feel for finding space coming out of the backfield. Gainwell also set career highs in rushes (114) and rushing yards (537) last season. He is productive when bouncing runs to the outside. But his best fit is as a third-down back.”
Seahawks Pegged Destination for 2025 Breakout RB Days Before NFL Free Agency