The Seattle Seahawks' Silence on Franchise Tags Signals a Major Shift, Likely Ending Kenneth Walker III's Tenure!
It appears that the Seattle Seahawks are sticking to their guns when it comes to their philosophy on using the franchise or transition tag on their top upcoming free agents. As the 1 pm PT deadline passed on Tuesday, it became clear that none of the Seahawks' key unrestricted free agents, including prominent names like Kenneth Walker III, Riq Woolen, Rashid Shaheed, Josh Jobe, and Coby Bryant, were handed the franchise tag. This follows a trend we observed last offseason, where the NFL as a whole seems to be moving away from this tag system for free agents.
Franchise Tagged Players Around the NFL:
- RB Breece Hall, New York Jets
- WR George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
- TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Additionally, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones received a transition tag. It's quite a shift when you consider that only six players have been tagged across the entire league over the past two offseasons combined. From 2010 to 2023, it was rare to see fewer than six players receive a franchise or transition tag in a single offseason. Is this a sign of a new, long-term pattern emerging in the NFL? We'll need a bit more time and data to say for sure.
Now, let's talk about the tag that's most relevant to the Seahawks' situation: Breece Hall. He's set to earn a hefty $14.3 million on a non-exclusive tag, assuming no new deal is struck. If Hall hadn't been tagged, it might have made it a bit trickier to gauge the running back market. However, the sheer value of his tag alone should give us a solid estimate of what Kenneth Walker III's services will cost.
But here's where it gets controversial... The market for Kenneth Walker III is expected to be robust, especially after his incredible performance that saw him win Super Bowl MVP and finish his season strong, reminiscent of his rookie year. This strong showing almost certainly means a completely revamped Seahawks backfield is on the horizon, with Walker likely heading out and the team also dealing with ACL injuries to Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh. This raises a big question: Is it truly the right move for the Seahawks to let a player with such a high ceiling, especially one who just won a Super Bowl MVP, walk away? What are your thoughts on this strategic decision? Let me know in the comments below!
