Who must be within the enterprise of including Walker this offseason? Under, we have a look at 5 potential locations.
With Rachaad White doubtlessly leaving in free company, the Bucs might have a necessity at working again to accomplice with Bucky Irving, who completed sixth in Related Press Offensive Rookie of the 12 months voting in 2024 however was restricted to 10 video games on account of harm final season.
Walker gives a lot much less within the cross sport than White, however Irving’s 77 receptions over his first two seasons reveals he can fill that receiving again function whereas Walker receives the majority of the carries.
James Conner, who turns 31 in Could, is a minimize candidate after lacking 14 video games following a season-ending foot harm. He has a $9.83M cap quantity in 2026, and Arizona would solely be on the hook for $2.25M by releasing him, according to Over The Cap. The Cardinals’ main rusher final season was Michael Carter with 333 yards, simply 20 greater than Walker had in three postseason video games.
With quarterback Kyler Murray unlikely within the workforce’s future, Arizona has extra urgent considerations than working again. However including Walker to an offensive core that features tight finish Trey McBride and large receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson would give its subsequent quarterback a strong basis.
Since turning into the Chiefs’ full-time beginning quarterback in 2018, Patrick Mahomes has by no means benefited from a 1,000-yard rusher. Kareem Hunt, Kansas Metropolis’s final again to cross the edge (2017), is an unrestricted free agent, as is Isiah Pacheco, who has underwhelmed the previous two seasons after a promising begin to his profession.
As a substitute of returning both for an additional season, the Chiefs could be sensible to pursue Walker, who would immediately turn into one of the best working again Mahomes has performed alongside.
The Commanders unearthed a gem within the seventh spherical of the 2025 NFL Draft once they landed working again Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who had 175 carries for 805 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. And whereas Washington ought to direct most of its offseason spending to enhancing the protection, including a veteran again of Walker’s caliber would solely assist quarterback Jayden Daniels as he appears to be like to rebound from an injury-plagued 2025.
If Travis Etienne, the opposite prime working again within the 2026 free-agent class, exits Duval County (the Chiefs and New Orleans Saints
are rumored potential suitors), Jacksonville will want a tried-and-true substitute to take over because the workforce’s lead again.
The Jaguars, $16.902M over the cap, may not have the ability to win a bidding struggle for Walker’s providers, however after buying wideout Jakobi Meyers on the 2025 commerce deadline, he’d make sense as one other veteran addition for a workforce seeking to construct on final season’s 13-4 document.
