One RB Option for Vikings Might Be Off the Board
If you had your eye on Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker for the Minnesota Vikings in 2026 free agency, it’s probably time to form a contingency plan. Walker’s teammate, Zach Charbonnet, tore his ACL on Sunday as his team advanced to the NFC Championship.
With Charbonnet’s injury changing everything, the Seahawks have every incentive to keep Walker, or price him beyond Minnesota’s comfort range.
Charbonnet faces a long recovery, and with Walker on deck to test free agency, Seattle may not let him walk.
Kenneth Walker’s Market Shifts in a Hurry
Walker’s value soars after Charbonnet hit the shelf indefinitely.
Charbonnet Hits IR
That’s a wrap for Charbonnet in the postseason.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson wrote Monday, “The Seahawks will be without their leading touchdown scorer for the remainder of the playoffs after running back Zach Charbonnet suffered a ‘significant’ knee injury, coach Mike Macdonald said Monday. Charbonnet has a torn ACL, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.”
“Part of the Seahawks’ two-headed rushing attack along with Kenneth Walker III, Charbonnet went down in the second quarter of Seattle’s 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round Saturday. Macdonald had expressed optimism with the injury postgame before saying on his Seattle Sports 710-AM radio show Monday that Charbonnet will need surgery that will come with an extensive rehab.”
That’s a path to increased work for Walker this weekend — maybe February, too — and a sad turn of events for the Seahawks’ offense. Charbonnet represented the pepper from the Seahawks’ salt-and-pepper rushing attack.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said about Charbonnet, “Our heart goes out to him. So prayers goes out to Charbs. And we love him. This guy is the epitome of what it means to be a Seahawk. Absolute tough as nails. Great teammate. Great human being. Plays his tail off. Detail-oriented. Unselfish. And this hurts, man.”
“It hurts that it’s going on. But he’s going to be back, he’s going to be back stronger than ever. Guys are going to pick him up. It’s not like he’s leaving us. He’s going to be with us.”
Walker Balls Out 7 Weeks before Free Agency
The Seahawks crushed the 49ers on Saturday for two reasons: the defense lived up to its best-in-the-world billing, and Walker sliced and diced San Francisco for 116 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.
Former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold really just had to watch as all the pieces around him did their jobs. And the timing was fantastic for Walker, who, before the Charbonnet injury, was slated to hit the open market.
Walker will command an impressive deal in March, probably in the neighborhood of $12 million per season. With Charbonnet in waiting, most assumed that Seattle could let Walker walk, turning to Charbonnet as the RB1.
That’s not possible now. Charbonnet’s ACL recovery will bleed into the regular season, with the earliest return likely sometime in October or November unless the Seahawks oddly rush him back. Walker’s stock soars accordingly.
SI.com‘s Tim Capurso on the Seahawks’ RB plan for the remainder of the playoffs: “Kenneth Walker, who led the Seahawks with 1,027 rushing yards in the regular season, will continue to handle the bulk of the carries out of the Seahawks’ backfield. Velus Jones Jr., who was activated from the practice squad before the divisional round against the 49ers, figures to see an uptick in usage with Charbonnet injured.”
“The Seahawks have one more designation to bring a player back from injured reserve, which could be utilized on injured halfback George Holani. Holani, a second-year pro, hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury in a Week 12 win over the Titans. He tallied 73 rushing yards and a touchdown in the regular season.”
Super Bowl-Contending Team Won’t Deprioritize Run Game
What’s more, re-signing Walker may not be that controversial. He’s a feast-or-famine runner. When he’s hot, he looks like a Top 3 running back in the sport.
Some teams might let Walker leave and then draft a replacement. But Seattle has proven this year that it can reach the NFC Championship with Walker as the primary RB1. Why change a good thing?
Seattle also has about $72 million to spend in free agency. At the moment, the Seahawks don’t have many premier and expensive performers on the budget, increasing the likelihood of a second contract for Walker. Mike Macdonald and friends know that a strong running game is a driving force for wins in the NFL, even in a pass-happy league. The Charbonnet injury is probably the smoking gun to finalize an extension with Walker.
Other FA Options
If one assumes that the Vikings release Aaron Jones as a cap casualty in the near future and that they want a veteran running back instead of a rookie, Walker isn’t the option on the open market. These are players are on tap to test free agency, too:
- Breece Hall
- Isiah Pacheco
- Javonte Williams
- JK Dobbins
- Rachaad White
- Travis Etienne
Hall and Walker were the almighty prizes from a pre-free-agency purview. RB-needy teams may be down to Hall as the big catch.
Walker will turn 26 next fall.
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