The Kansas City Chiefs addressed their running back issue by signing Kenneth Walker III, but their problem may still not be solved. After a season with uneven rushing production, they brought in the Super Bowl MVP during free agency. However, an early report is now pointing towards far from ideal numbers in production.

“I do think there are some drawbacks,” ESPN writer Seth Walder wrote. “First, the regular-season numbers were good but not exceptional, and I’m wary of over-indexing on the playoffs.”

During the regular season, Walker posted 39 rush yards over expected and produced 0 first downs over expected, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. However, the postseason told a different story. Walker elevated his game when it mattered most, recording 79 rush yards over expected and eight first downs over expected during a strong playoff stretch.

“Second, while Walker’s ability as a runner is not questioned, that’s not the only job of a back,” Walder added. “The Seahawks made their preference for Charbonnet on passing downs quite clear — Walker was on the field only for 20% of third-and-longs in the regular season. And third, running back is one of the least important positions in football, and the Chiefs are opting to spend here.”

Still, the Chiefs think taking a chance on Walker is a good idea. He has a speed that fans at Arrowhead Stadium didn’t see much of last season. Even though he shared playing time with Zach Charbonnet in Seattle, he managed 221 rushing attempts, ranking 20th in the league.

Kansas City really needed a player who could make big plays. In the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the Chiefs had some of the lowest rates of explosive plays from running backs in 25 years.

“Last season, Walker forced a missed tackle on 30.2% of his touches, the third-highest rate in the NFL (minimum 150 touches), according to NFL Next Gen Stats,” ESPN’s Nate Taylor wrote after the signing. “The Chiefs are confident Walker can generate explosive rushes behind the strong interior of the offensive line. … A year ago, Isiah Pacheco didn’t have a single rushing attempt in which he gained 20 or more yards. Kareem Hunt had one.”

Compared to Pacheco and Hunt, Walker sported eight attempts with 20 rushing yards or more, with a 55-yard dash in Week 16 in his 2025 campaign. However, Walker’s journey to Kansas City had its challenges. Before he won the Super Bowl MVP, he was already facing issues with the Seattle Seahawks.

Kenneth Walker III’s growing frustration with the Seahawks

Kenneth Walker III’s move from Seattle to Kansas City might not have been just about the Chiefs wanting him. A recent report revealed he was frustrated with sharing playing time with Zach Charbonnet, which may have led him to leave the Seahawks during the 2025 season.

“The Seahawks planned all this past season to audition Zach Charbonnet for a possible takeover of the lead-back role in 2026,” reporter Gregg Bell wrote in his article. “Charbonnet shone in a job share that was partly to preserve Walker to get through all 17 games of the regular season. He did, playing a full season for the first time in his four years with the team.”

The Seahawks drafted Charbonnet in the 2023 NFL Draft, just one year after selecting Walker. Not long after, Charbonnet became an important part of the offense. This change surprised many fans, but using two running backs together helped Seattle keep their drives going and played a role in their journey to Super Bowl LX.

But things changed when the playoffs started. Walker got the leading role after Charbonnet got injured in the Divisional Round. He took on the team’s offensive duties and played really well, eventually winning the Super Bowl MVP award.

Still, the shared workload reportedly created tension behind the scenes.

“But the job share privately irked Walker. He had 47% of the Seahawks’ offense snaps this past season, to Charbonnet’s 49%. Charbonnet was Seattle’s third-down and red-zone running back. He scored 12 rushing touchdowns. That was the most for the Seahawks since Marshawn Lynch in their last Super Bowl season of 2014.”

The Seahawks aren’t the first team to deal with a running back controversy, but theirs came painfully soon after a Super Bowl. Like the Los Angeles Chargers with Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler, sharing touches in the backfield created tension, showing even productive runners can spark debate when carries aren’t clearly defined.

Last season, both running backs had good performances in Seattle. Walker ran for 1,027 yards and scored five touchdowns on 221 carries, while Charbonnet gained 730 yards and found the end zone 12 times on 184 attempts.

While it is rare to see a Super Bowl MVP move on from his franchise just months later, Walker did eventually depart, and now begins a new chapter with the Chiefs.