Fresh off their Super Bowl triumph, the Seattle Seahawks are already in a dogfight to defend their crown, starting with crucial decisions to keep their championship roster from being poached. This comes after the organization received concerning updates on star running back Kenneth Walker III, who could land tempting offers in free agency.

Mike Macdonald’s team tendered Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFA) Ty Okada and George Holani on Monday. For those unfamiliar, this designation applies to players whose contracts have expired and those with two or fewer accrued seasons. Once a team offers an ERFA tender, which is a one-year contract, players can no longer negotiate with other teams.

According to Schneider, it’s the beginning of a strong offseason as the organization attempts to “run it back” after a championship campaign. The team picked Okada from Montana State in 2023 as an undrafted free agent.

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The safety made limited appearances in the first two seasons with the team. He recorded only four tackles across his nine games. But his career reached new heights last year when Okada played all 17 games and made eleven starts. After playing sparingly in his first two seasons, Okada broke out last year to become a key starter. His impact was felt all over the field, as he racked up 65 tackles and 1.5 sacks, proving to be a crucial piece of the Seahawks’ defensive success. Meanwhile, Holani also joined the team as an undrafted agent in 2024 after playing college football at Boise State.

After an uneventful rookie season where he saw the field just five times, Holani played in 11 regular-season games last year. He rushed 22 times for 73 yards and a touchdown. In Week 12, he landed on injured reserve because of hamstring issues. Besides his prominent role as running back, he also contributed to special teams, scoring on a recovered kickoff in a Week 2 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Holani made a comeback in the postseason, joining as the No.2 running back after Zach Charbonnet went down with a knee injury in the divisional round. He posted 47 offensive snaps in playoff wins over the Rams and Patriots. He also rushed for 10 yards and added four catches for 34 yards. While Mike Macdonald ensures depth at the running back position, a question mark hangs over another star player in the group.

Free agency speculation raises concerns about Macdonald’s RB situation

Kenneth Walker III posted a strong 2025 season with the Seahawks. With Charbonnet sidelined, he became the team’s lead back. He started in all 17 games and remained healthy throughout the campaign. By the end of the year, he had rushed 221 times for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns. He also averaged 4.6 yards per carry.

Most importantly, his 161-yard performance offered the offensive support Seattle needed in Super Bowl LX. Despite his consistency that eventually earned him MVP honors in the finale, his future with the Seahawks remains uncertain. According to a March 1 report by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, Walker III remains on other teams’ wishlists.

The duo analyzed the running back market in free agency. They suggested the rising interest from others could “spell the end of his time in Seattle.” However, Seattle’s front office had dismissed such possibilities before this report surfaced. General manager John Schneider discussed Kenneth’s status at the NFL Combine on February 24. He made it clear that the team values him, but emphasized roster balance. 

“We’d love to have Ken [Kenneth] back, and he knows this better than anybody — it’s about our 70 and our collective and what that’s going to look like,” Schneider said. “We’ll have those meetings down here. We’ll start talking to all the agents, and we’ll have a better feel of where we’re going towards the end of the week.”

If Walker exits, Seattle might already be looking for options. 12th Man Rising’s Lee Vowell identified Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. as a potential replacement. Washington had an impressive 4.33-second 40-yard dash. He also ranked high among running backs in both the broad jump and vertical leap. Now, Seattle’s front office must decide if it can afford to bring Walker back for another potential championship run.