Seahawks linked to 1,023-yard Super Bowl champion RB as Kenneth Walker replacement

The Seattle Seahawks are in a precarious spot with their superstar running back, Kenneth Walker III. He's a free agent and might depart after winning Super Bowl MVP.

In a free agent and draft class without great running backs, Walker is the clear top option, and surely on his way to a massive contract this offseason. That's bad news for Seattle, as he might be out of their price range.

However, the Seahawks could instead turn to a different running back named Kenneth in free agency. ESPN's Ben Solak named Pittsburgh Steelers free agent Kenneth Gainwell as a great target for the Seahawks this offseason to replace Walker.

Seahawks linked to Kenneth Gainwell to replace Kenneth Walker

"Gainwell seems like a great complement to Jordan Mason in Minnesota or Charbonnet in Seattle," Solak writes.

While the Minnesota Vikings might be a suitor for Gainwell this offseason, if he were to get the same offer, Seattle would be the better landing spot by a wide margin.

Going from one Kenneth to another would be a fun offseason storyline, but regarding their on-field production, it would be a smart move for the Seahawks.

Gainwell will cost significantly less than Walker this offseason, but he brings enough juice to the offense that he might not be a terrible replacement.

Last year for the Steelers, Gainwell ran for 537 yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries. That was around half of what Walker had last season.

More: Kenneth Walker III poised for big payday after Breece Hall's franchise tag

However, Gainwell's work comes through as a receiver. He caught 73 of 85 targets last season, going for 486 yards and three touchdowns.

Overall, Gainwell totaled 1,023 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns. While not as good as Walker last year, it's good enough that he's worth taking a chance on.

He also had Super Bowl experience with the Philadelphia Eagles, putting together some solid plays during their two recent Super Bowl runs in 2022 and 2024.

If the Seahawks are looking for a good running back to replace Walker, going with Gainwell would be a smart choice. He's a good dual-threat running back and would be a nice pairing with Charbonnet next year.

More Seahawks news:

• Jake Bobo let go after Super Bowl run
• Rashid Shaheed projected to land $30 million contract in free agency
• Kenneth Walker III not franchise tagged, will hit free agency
• David Montgomery being traded to Texans makes RB market very expensive for Seattle
• Rashid Shaheed might join Klint Kubiak in leaving Seattle for Raiders
• Alontae Taylor would be perfect free agent CB to pair with Devon Witherspoon
• 49ers WR Jauan Jennings projected to sign with Seahawks