NFL 2026: Kenneth Walker III Signs With Chiefs on Busy Free Agent Day

• Did you have “Kenneth Walker III Chiefs” on your bingo card? It has been a stunning and busy day for NFL free agency
• Walker, the Super Bowl LIX MVP, gives Kansas City a big time running back
• Other recognizable names who changed teams include Malik Willis, Mike Evans, and Tua Tagovailoa
• How do these early moves impact the upcoming NFL Draft and the 2026 season?

Kenneth Walker III Signs With the Chiefs

Kenneth Walker III became a household name with his 2025-26 postseason performance, particularly in Super Bowl LX when he ran for 135 yards on 27 carries in the Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the Patriots.

However, Seattle clearly set a value on Walker and chose not to put a franchise tag on him to retain him. It’s easy to forget now, but he was never the feature back on his own. He shared time with Zach Charbonnet, and it was Charbonnet’s knee injury that put Walker in the spotlight.

Now, with Walker signing with the Chiefs, he joins Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes as they retool after a disappointing 6-11 season.

KC’s rushing attack was a weakness in 2025 as they relied too heavily on veteran Kareem Hunt and a clearly limited Isiah Pacheco. With Walker, they get a durable back who now has an undeniable postseason pedigree.

Dolphins Sign QB Malik Willis

Signing the flavor-of-the-month free agent backup QB with a limited resume or past failures has always been as hit or miss as picking a QB in the draft.

On one extreme, it can be Matt Flynn, who was a disaster for the Seahawks and almost immediately lost his starting job to unheralded rookie Russell Wilson.

On the other is Rich Gannon, who had bounced around the league before getting a chance to start for the Chiefs at 33 when Elvis Grbac broke his clavicle. Gannon lit it up. He got a free agent contract from Al Davis and the Raiders, turning into an eventual MVP.

Which is Malik Willis? Is he a pending disaster? A burgeoning star? Or is he somewhere in the middle?

Willis was a 3rd round pick by the Titans in 2022. He made 3 starts as a rookie and was unimpressive. By 2024, he was with the Packers. He made 1 start for them in 2025 and overall was 30 for 35 for 3 TDs and no picks.

It’s not much to go on, but the Dolphins gave him a $67.5 million deal with $45 million guaranteed. They also released longtime QB Tua Tagovailoa.

New Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan came from the Packers. So did new head coach Jeff Hafley. It’s not as if they’re signing a QB they don’t know. Still, it’s a risk for a team that is undergoing a major restructuring if not an outright rebuild.

49ers Sign WR Mike Evans

Mike Evans is a future Pro Football Hall of Famer who won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers. He shares the record for most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons as a receiver with Jerry Rice.

He was a Bucs institution and has deep roots in the community for his charity work. But he’ll be 33 in August and the Bucs are coming off a disappointing season amid questions about the team’s commitment and intensity under low-key coach Todd Bowles.

Evans wants to win and the 49ers give him a chance to do that.

From the Bucs’ perspective, maybe it’s better to move on. Evans was limited to 8 games in 2025 with a broken clavicle and a hamstring injury. They might need to flip the locker room a bit to let new leaders emerge.

Tua Tagovailoa Signs With the Falcons

The Falcons are the best possible landing spot for Tua Tagovailoa.

He won’t be pressured to start with Michael Penix Jr. as the incumbent and expected to be ready to start the 2026 season after tearing his ACL. The Falcons play in a dome, and every NFC South team is a warm-weather locale or is in a dome, taking away one of Tua’s flaws: playing in the cold.

Playing for Kevin Stefanski, the offense can be tailored to him and his admittedly weak arm. He won’t be asked to do more than he’s capable of, as he sometimes was under Mike McDaniel with the Dolphins. It’s a great chance for him to have a fresh start and rejuvenate his career.

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