Kenneth Walker III may have praised the Chiefs‘ “winning culture” upon his arrival, but a new report suggests his departure from Seattle was less about pulling him to Kansas City and more about being pushed out of the Seahawks‘ backfield. A growing job share with Zach Charbonnet reportedly left the running back privately frustrated 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.”

“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 drafted Zach Charbonnet in the 2023 NFL Draft, just one year after selecting Walker. Soon after, Charbonnet quickly became the team’s primary running back. Although the decision raised eyebrows at the time, the two-back approach later helped Seattle keep drives alive and ultimately played a role in the team’s run to Super Bowl LX.

The team’s dynamic shifted again when Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the Divisional Round. As a result, Walker stepped back into the spotlight and carried the offense, eventually finishing the year as the Super Bowl MVP.

Statistically, both backs had productive seasons in the Emerald City. Walker logged 221 carries for 1,027 rushing yards and five touchdowns. On the other hand, Charbonnet had 184 carries for 730 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, the highest number of rushing touchdowns for a Seahawk since Marshawn Lynch in 2014, the team’s previous Super Bowl-winning season.

Still, Walker moved on and is now starting a new chapter with the Chiefs. However, his former teammate is surprised by the move.

Ernest Jones opens up on Kenneth Walker and others leaving in free agency

Following their great Super Bowl season, the Seattle Seahawks lost some important players during NFL free agency. Running back Kenneth Walker III, cornerback Riq Woolen, safety Coby Bryant, and edge rusher Boye Mafe all joined new teams. This change affected the team, but linebacker Ernest Jones IV expressed that he understands the reasons behind these moves.

“Before anything, I’d love to have them back on this team, but I understand,” Jones said on The Insiders podcast this week. “We’ve got families to take care of. You know, honestly, that’s what we (won the Super Bowl) for… Those guys (leaving in free agency) deserve it.”

He also praised Walker, who is now getting ready to help the Chiefs win the Super Bowl in the coming season.

“K9 [is] going to Kansas City; they’re going to love him, man,” he said. “That’s why I said it sucks for us because those guys are going to bring already good teams into even better situations.”

Walker secured a three-year, $45 million deal with the Chiefs. Bryant headed to the Windy City after landing a $40 million contract with the Bears. Mafe joined the Bengals, while Woolen found a new opportunity with the Eagles.

As a result, Seattle suddenly faces a few big holes in the roster.

The Seahawks have been cautious in free agency this year. They kept some familiar players, like wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, who signed a three-year deal worth up to $51 million. Cornerback Josh Jobe also re-signed for three years at an average of $7 million per season.

However, the new players brought in haven’t noticeably improved the team yet. Seattle still has not added another edge rusher to fill Mafe’s role in the pass rush rotation. The team is counting on Ty Okada to fill Bryant’s role, even though he hasn’t started a season as the main guy before.

Because of this, the Seahawks might need to look for help in the 2026 NFL Draft. The tricky part is that Seattle currently has limited draft capital, with reports indicating the team may have only four picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. It will be interesting to see how the front office manages this situation.