Why Kenneth Walker’s 2024 season was a rollercoaster ride

Did Walker do enough for a contract renewal? At what cost?

Kenneth Walker III entered the 2024 season with high expectations after showing sporadic bursts of talent in his first two years with the Seattle Seahawks. However, his third season was marked by ups and downs. There were moments when his aggressive, explosive style shined, but also moments when his pursuit of the home run resulted in unnecessary turnovers.

In a league that is increasingly unforgiving of running backs, Walker faced an important test: proving himself worthy of being a long-term centerpiece of Seattle’s offense — and, of course, earning a new contract.

2024 Production: Side effects of the ‘Boom or Bust’ style

Ken Walker finished the 2024 season with:

180 carries (29th)

573 rushing yards (32nd);

3.7 yards per attempt (40th)

46 receptions (12th)

299 yards (21st)

0 fumbles

7 rushing TDs (17th);

467 yards after contact (32nd);

Forced missed tackles: 61 (8th)

Run grade: 91.3 (3rd);

Walker’s numbers aren’t exactly eye-catching, but he still led the team in rushing yards and will be a key part of Klint Kubiak’s outside rushing and zone read system.

Among running backs with 150+ carries in 2024, Walker ranked:

• 20th in total yards
• 17th in yards per attempt
• 5th in runs of 20+ yards (9 total)
• 29th in runs of 0 or negative yards (49 attempts)

These stats clearly show the boom-or-bust pattern that defines his style.

Cuts, patience and decisions

Ken Walker is known for his ability to “bounce outside” — that is, cut outside the trenches looking for the edge. Although it is a powerful technique when there is weak edge containment or well-developed blocks, it requires quick reads and confidence. In 2024, Walker showed:

Technical strengths:

Explosive footwork: his cuts are quick and lethal when the line opens the second level.

Change of direction in limited space: one of the best in the NFL at making the first defender miss.

Vision on zone outside runs: when the zone block fits, he is lethal.

In 2024, he recorded 6 runs of more than 15 yards. His 0.42 avoided tackles per attempt last season were the most in PFF’s 19 years of statistics for all running backs with at least 50 carries. The next-most with any player with at least 150 carries in a season was 0.31, which is a tie that includes 2014 Marshawn Lynch and 2020 Nick Chubb.

Technical weaknesses:

• Inconsistent patience: Often abandons the gap before it forms, trying too hard to make the big play.
• Risky cutting decisions: In the inside zone or power zone, Walker often loses yards by improvising.
• Difficulty identifying the best point of attack: He lacks consistency in post-snap reads.

One of Walker’s main technical problems continues to be his impatience following blocks. He often abandons the designated gap to try to cut outside, which has resulted in losses or minimal gains — especially on power and inside zone runs.

**Fit with Klint...