It didn’t take long.
Seemingly minutes after Adam Schefter tweeted out a list of franchise tag candidates, including Ken Walker, he followed up with this:
It’s unlikely the Seahawks will use their franchise tag on running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, per league sources. The Seahawks have multiple free agents they want to retain and sign. They also will try to extend WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. There are enough Super-Bowl tax costs that now make using a franchise tag this off-season unlikely.
Clearly a certain someone noticed Schefter’s tweet and wanted it to be known the Seahawks wouldn’t be using the tag. He got a call and now we know the situation.
It’s not a surprise. At an estimated $14.5m it would’ve been an expensive one-year arrangement. It also would’ve set the bar for any discussions over a longer-term deal. The Seahawks were never going to pay Walker $14.5m a year minimum.
They’re letting his camp know what the situation is with this report. Now it’s going to be a waiting game until the combine as all parties work to find out his actual market value. Having multiple runners reach free agency (Breece Hall, Travis Etienne) might help the Seahawks.
This is a useful exercise anyway. Letting Walker’s representatives find out his actual market makes sense before working out a potential deal to stay.
If there’s a team out there willing to pay huge money they’re probably going to be looking for a new running back. If it’s a more modest arrangement, there’s every chance he’ll be back.
This feels like it could go either way.
The other interesting thing in Schefter’s follow-up is the note on having multiple free agents they want to re-sign, plus a JSN extension.
We already know they have a few key players reaching the end of their contracts. This might be a hint that they’ll prioritise others first, such as Rashid Shaheed. Or that they at least need to be able to go into those negotiations without Walker having a locked-in $14.5m for 2026 on the books.
The note on Smith-Njigba caught my eye because there’s no mention of Devon Witherspoon, who they likely also want to extend this year. My hunch on this is they want to get JSN done quickly, given the state of the receiver market and how expensive it is. They might not want to wait to see, for example, how much Alex Pierce gets on the open market. They also might want to get in before the Rams extend Puka Nacua — because whoever is paid second between Smith-Njigba and Nacua is probably getting a little bit more.
There’s not as much pressure on the cornerback market and it’s theoretically something they could do nearer to training camp with Witherspoon.
Either way, we can see the challenges ahead for the defending Super Bowl Champions. There’s work to do here. They very efficiently dealt with the offensive coordinator search. Keeping the roster together is their next mission as teams prepare to head to Indianapolis next week.
One other final note. Ian Rapoport today backed up Adam Schefter’s suggestion that we could see a lot of trades when the new league year opens. I remain convinced the Seahawks are going to dig around the trade market.
Look at how they haven’t just settled for an in-house hire for their new offensive coordinator. They will want to find ways to get better this year, not stand still. It is going to be very difficult to get value out of this draft class.
Maxx Crosby won’t be the only player they inevitably check-in on at the combine. In relation to the Ken Walker discussion, keep an eye on De’Von Achane. He’s only 24. He is one of the NFL’s best runners and a brilliant fit for a zone-blocking team. They won’t have to pay him until next year.
The Dolphins appear to be wiping the slate clean and starting again based on their moves this week. I’d be surprised if they wouldn’t have a cup of coffee to discuss their options on the trade market. Could the Seahawks show some interest in Achane? I wouldn’t bet against it.
