The Seattle Seahawks knew what running back Kenneth Walker III meant to them: a Super Bowl hero, a game-changer, a player who delivered when it mattered most. But even before the offseason truly began, general manager John Schneider set the tone, letting Walker walk away to the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year deal, while Seattle chose to protect the bigger picture. Till now, the GM does not seem too concerned about Walker III’s departure. Instead, he is doubling down on the future, making two clear moves for the offense, including wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

“The @Seahawks have exercised the 5th Year Options for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon,” an account named Seahawks PR wrote on X.

As a result, Smith-Njigba is now set for a fully guaranteed $23.852 million in 2027, while cornerback Witherspoon will earn $21.161 million, as per OverTheCap.

The fifth-year options are available only for first-round draft picks. Witherspoon was picked fifth overall in 2023 from Illinois, and Smith-Njigba was chosen 20th overall from Ohio State. This offseason, both were heading into the final year of their rookie deals, with Witherspoon due $1.145 million in 2026 and Smith-Njigba set for $2.715 million.

Before this move, both players were set to enter free agency after the 2026 season. Now, with the options, considering both are locked in for 2027, general manager Schneider can take his time. In fact, he had already hinted at this plan earlier, saying extensions have “been part of our planning process” while adding, “The timing of it, I’m not sure.”

An extension is inevitable, as both players played a huge role in the Super Bowl LX run. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, in particular, delivered a massive 2025 season with 119 catches on 163 targets for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 15.1 yards per reception across 17 games.

In the playoffs, he stayed just as reliable. He added 17 receptions on 26 targets for 199 yards and two touchdowns in three games during the title run.

Meanwhile, Witherspoon held things down defensively with 72 total tackles, including 48 solo, along with 0.5 sacks, one interception, seven passes defended, and a fumble recovery in 12 games. In the postseason, Witherspoon logged seven tackles against the 49ers and six against the Rams, and in the Super Bowl versus the Patriots, he added one sack, four tackles, and a pass breakup.

So while Walker’s exit raised eyebrows, Seattle’s decision makes one thing clear: Schneider is betting on his young core to carry the Seahawks forward.

John Schneider is not worried about Kenneth Walker III’s exit

Kenneth Walker III entered this offseason as one of the hottest names on the market. And the Kansas City Chiefs were quick to move. Now, while he becomes a key piece in the city of fountains on a three-year, $43 million contract, the Seahawks must figure out how to replace that production as they look to defend their title. However, general manager John Schneider does not seem too worried about it.

“That’s a position where you can find guys… but George [Holani] did a great job, and we’re really excited about Emanuel Wilson,” Schneider said this week when discussing the backfield. “We know where we’re at right now.”

While the front office is clearly trusting its current group, the numbers tell a mixed story. The Seahawks have barely used Holani so far, logging just 25 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown in two seasons.

Meanwhile, Wilson has shown promise during his time in Green Bay, even while playing behind Josh Jacobs. Across three seasons, he has 242 rushes for 1,083 yards and seven touchdowns.

At the same time, Seattle’s concerns do not stop there. Along with losing Walker, they could be without Zach Charbonnet for part of 2026 after he suffered a torn ACL in the divisional round. That hurts even more, considering how important both backs were last season.

Walker and Charbonnet ranked No. 16 and No. 39 in PFSN’s Running Back Impact Metric in 2025. Walker handled 221 carries for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns, while Charbonnet added 184 carries for 730 yards and 12 scores.

So now, whether it is through the draft or free agency, the Seahawks have a real decision to make. Let’s see how they approach it.