Seahawks unlikely to franchise tag Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III

The Seattle Seahawks are unlikely to place the franchise tag on Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, paving the way for the running back to enter free agency.

League sources indicate the franchise will likely bypass the tag option before the 3 March deadline.

Financial constraints associated with salary cap costs have reportedly made the move unfeasible for the reigning champions.

General manager John Schneider is instead prioritizing the retention of other free agents and a contract extension for wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Super Bowl hero set for market

Walker is poised to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time following the expiration of his rookie deal.

Applying the tag to the running back would have cost Seattle approximately $14.5m, a significant leap from his previous salary cap hit of under $2.7m.

The 24-year-old delivered a masterful performance in Super Bowl 60, rushing for 135 yards in the 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots.

His efforts saw him become the first running back to claim the game’s MVP award since Terrell Davis achieved the feat in the 1997 season.

Postseason dominance

During the regular campaign, the former Michigan State standout recorded 1,027 rushing yards and five touchdowns while sharing duties with Zach Charbonnet.

However, a significant ACL injury to Charbonnet in the divisional round thrust Walker into a primary role.

He responded by leading all postseason players with 417 scrimmage yards, proving pivotal in Seattle’s title run.

Schneider has historically been reluctant to utilise the franchise tag, deploying the mechanism just twice during his 16-season tenure.