The Kansas City Chiefs entered free agency with limited spending power, but that didn’t stop them from signing running back Kenneth Walker to a massive contract. A former second-round pick, Walker spent the past four seasons as Seattle’s primary running back and played a vital role in the team’s most recent championship. With Zach Charbonnet injured, Walker stepped up and recorded 313 rushing yards and four touchdowns during Seattle’s three-game championship run.
The Chiefs haven’t had a true threat at the running back position since Kareem Hunt’s original stint with the team, and former seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco was also a free agent. Ultimately, the team decided to let Pacheco walk and sign Walker to a massive three-year, $43 million contract. While Walker is a great player, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes this was a drastic overpay. In a recent article, the NFL analyst called Walker’s contract the second-worst signing of the offseason.
“Throughout his four-year career, Walker has struggled with nagging injuries,” Davenport writes. “Last year was the first time he played in all 17 games…While the 2022 second-round pick has two 1,000-yard seasons, he has never had 230 carries in a season. He has also never played 600 snaps in a season.”
Bleacher Report Thinks the Chiefs Shouldn’t Have Signed Kenneth Walker
Nobody denies that Kenneth Walker is a good player and that his presence will improve the Chiefs’ rushing attack. However, the NFL’s strict salary cap means teams must be wise with their financial investments, and it’s hard to justify giving Walker such a large contract. Walker’s $14.35 million per year is the fourth-highest among running backs, and his $28.7 million in guaranteed money is the third-most among the position. Walker needs to be an elite three-down workhorse to justify this investment, and he has yet to prove he’s capable of that type of workload.
In addition to his salary, Kansas City’s roster construction also suggests the team is planning on giving him a larger workload than he ever had in Seattle. Emari Demarcado and Brashard Smith are currently fighting for the RB2 position, and neither player is anything more than a low-ceiling depth piece.
Running back is a luxury position, and spending big on an above-average talent like Kenneth Walker could be justified if the Chiefs entered the offseason with an abundance of salary cap space. However, that’s not what happened. Kansas City had limited financial resources, and they used what little they had on Walker. In essence, the team effectively chose Walker over Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Leo Chenal, and Bryan Cook – good players at more important positions.
Kenneth Walker is a good player in an offense that should complement his strengths. Chances are, he will put up great numbers in this offense. However, it will be difficult for the Chiefs to ever justify this signing.
