The Kansas City Chiefs just signed the reigning Super Bowl MVP to a three-year, $43.05 million deal, and somehow, they might not be done shopping for running backs. Bleacher Report floated a hypothetical trade that would send the Chiefs’ fifth-round pick to New Orleans for Alvin Kamara, giving Kansas City two elite backs in a backfield that couldn’t scare a JV defense last season. It’s the kind of move that sounds insane on the surface.
Kenneth Walker Earned Every Dollar of This Deal
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) speaks in a press conference after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Kenneth Walker III didn’t just walk into Kansas City; he stormed the gates with a Super Bowl MVP trophy under his arm. His 135 rushing yards on 27 carries in the Seahawks’ 29-13 demolition of the Patriots made him the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis did it in 1998. Walker was already at 94 yards by halftime, a one-man wrecking crew while both offenses sputtered around him. The man got paid accordingly: $28.7 million in guaranteed money, putting him among the highest-paid backs in the league.
The Chiefs Had No Choice
Dec 21, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day (69) talk during post game at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Kansas City’s ground game in 2025 was ugly. The Chiefs averaged 109.7 rushing yards per game, ranking 22nd in the NFL. Kareem Hunt managed 611 yards on 163 carries. Isiah Pacheco put up 462 on 118 carries with two touchdowns. Neither is coming back. Hunt hit free agency, and Pacheco signed in Detroit. The only running back left under contract was Brashard Smith, a second-year pro who barely registered on the stat sheet all season. That’s not a backfield. That’s a cry for help.
A 6-11 Season Burned the Dynasty to the Ground
Dec 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) walks to the huddle from the sideline during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
For context on how desperate Kansas City has become: the Chiefs went 6-11 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL in a Week 15 loss to the Chargers, ending his season and the Chiefs’ dynasty-era invincibility along with it. Five Super Bowl trips in six years, three Lombardi trophies, and then the floor collapsed. The injury was devastating enough on its own. What came after, a franchise in free fall without its cornerstone, was worse.
The McDuffie Trade Rebuilt the War Chest
Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Before they could add Walker, the Chiefs had to create financial and draft flexibility. They did it by trading All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams for four draft picks, including the No. 29 overall selection in the 2026 draft. McDuffie then signed a four-year, $124 million extension with the Rams, the richest cornerback deal in NFL history. Painful to lose a player that talented, but Kansas City now holds two first-round picks and multiple selections across April’s draft.
Walker’s Playoff Run Was Unreal
Aug 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Former NFL player Marshawn Lynch on the sidelines during the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Forget the contract debate for a moment and just look at what Walker did when it mattered most. In three postseason games for Seattle, he rushed for 313 yards and four touchdowns, nearly breaking Marshawn Lynch’s franchise postseason rushing record of 318 yards. He racked up 417 total scrimmage yards across those three games, including over 100 receiving yards. Three straight playoff games with 100-plus scrimmage yards, no Seahawk had ever done that. “It’s just a dream come true,” Walker said after the Super Bowl. “A lot of people play their whole career and never make it this far”.
The Bizarre Kamara Angle
Here’s where things get weird. Despite just shelling out $43 million for Walker, the Chiefs have been linked to a potential trade for Saints running back Alvin Kamara. Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay proposed sending Kansas City’s fifth-round pick (No. 176 overall) to New Orleans in exchange for the six-time Pro Bowler. The Saints signed Travis Etienne to a new deal and are staring down well-documented salary cap problems, making Kamara’s contract a logical piece to move. A fifth-rounder for a back with over 7,000 career rushing yards and nearly 5,000 receiving yards is bargain-bin pricing.
Kamara Doesn’t Want to Leave
Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) walks off the field after the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
There’s one massive catch: Kamara has repeatedly said he’d rather retire than wear another uniform. In October 2025, amid trade speculation, he told reporters that if the Saints moved him, he’d “go drink a piña colada somewhere”. He’s called New Orleans the only NFL home he’s ever known. At 30, coming off a down year where his production dipped well below his career averages, his leverage isn’t what it once was. But his pride hasn’t budged. The Chiefs would need Kamara to change his mind, and that’s no small ask.
Does a Walker-Kamara Backfield Even Make Sense?
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald and running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrate with the Vince Lombardi trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
On paper, pairing a 25-year-old Super Bowl MVP with a 30-year-old receiving threat sounds electric. Walker is a downhill bruiser who forced 86 missed tackles and gained 971 yards after contact last season, per PFF. Kamara, when healthy, remains one of the best pass-catching backs the league has ever seen. With Mahomes potentially limited early in 2026 during his ACL recovery, a loaded backfield could take the pressure off and keep Kansas City competitive while their quarterback finds his legs again. Running back spending has been depressed long enough that some around the league now view the position as genuine value territory.
Not Everyone Loves the Walker Price Tag
Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) speaks to media during Opening Night for Super Bowl LX at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The signing hasn’t been universally praised. Some analysts have graded the deal as middling, acknowledging that Walker fills a need but flagging concerns about paying top dollar for a running back. NFL reporter Andrew Mason was among the critics, calling it “a bit of an overpay”. At $14.35 million per year, Walker ranks fourth among all NFL running backs. And his regular-season numbers, while solid at 1,027 rushing yards, aren’t exactly record-breaking for that kind of money. The counter-argument is simple: the Chiefs just went 6-11 without a real running game. They can’t afford to be frugal right now.
Kansas City Is All-In on 2026
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The picture is becoming clear. Trade McDuffie. Sign Walker. Stack the draft board with multiple first-round picks. And maybe, just maybe, add Alvin Kamara for a late-round pick nobody will miss. Whether the Kamara trade happens or stays in the rumor mill, the message from Kansas City is unmistakable: the 6-11 embarrassment is over, the rebuild is happening at full speed, and when Mahomes returns, this roster needs to be ready to contend again. The Chiefs aren’t tiptoeing back. They’re kicking the door down.
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Sources
ESPN: “Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III named MVP of Super Bowl LX”
ESPN: “Why did Chiefs sign Kenneth Walker III, and what’s next?”
Sporting News: “Trent McDuffie trade details: Chiefs salvage first-round pick from Rams in difficult salary cap decision”
Bleacher Report: “Alvin Kamara Trade Packages and Best NFL Landing Spots After Saints Sign Travis Etienne”
BBC Sport: “Mahomes tears ACL as Chiefs miss out on NFL play-offs”
NFL.com: “Alvin Kamara doesn’t want to be traded: I’d go ‘drink a piña colada somewhere’ if Saints trade me”
