The Denver Broncos' season could have ended differently had starting quarterback Bo Nix not fractured his ankle in the Divisional Round. But the Broncos fell short of Super Bowl 60 by losing 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. They have regrouped, made changes to their coaching staff, and now look to build off of their 2025 campaign via free agency and the NFL Draft.
The Broncos are in pretty good position to make a splash, as they have over $26 million in cap space as of this writing. This could give them the opportunity to sign a potential game-changer. If there is one area of need, it's at running back.
Kenneth Walker of the Seattle Seahawks could be a prime target for the Broncos.
Walker showcased how great of an option he would be for Denver during Super Bowl 60. In the first half, Walker threw for 94 yards on 14 carries. He finished the game rushing for 135 yards on 27 carries while hauling in two targets for 26 yards. As a result, Walker was named Super Bowl 60 MVP.
As great of a target Walker would be, it's unlikely he'll be made available.
Kenneth Walker would be ideal free agent target for Broncos, but it's unlikely he'll be available
Walker showed just how valuable he can be to a contending team this season. In 17 regular season games, Walker rushed for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns on 221 carries. In the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers, Walker ran for 116 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. In the NFC Championship Game, Walker rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.
Given how well he's played, especially in these playoffs, it's understandable that he could cash out in free agency. The thing is, would the Seahawks even let him leave?
The Seahawks are already down one running back, as Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL in the Divisional Round game against the 49ers. Given that, could the Seahawks place the franchise tag on Walker? That would come at a price of $14.2 million, according to Spotrac. So, it's not a back-breaking price in terms of salary cap, so it's something the team could explore. Or even better, a contract extension.
Head coach Mike Macdonald has already openly expressed wanting to keep Walker, so one has to wonder if they can reach a deal. And Walker has said during the week of the Super Bowl that he'd prefer to stay.
"I've been here four years, so you know I've gotten to know a lot of stuff about Seattle, and you know a lot of the city, and I feel like they feel good about me as well," said Walker, h/t NFL.com. "So if it was my choice, though, I'd definitely stay."
Given how important Walker has been to the Seahawks, it's hard to envision the team letting him leave. That could be bad news for the Broncos, who need running back help. Perhaps Breece Hall or Travis Etienne Jr. could be their "all-out" target instead?