The Seattle Seahawks could be in a holding pattern for some time at the running back position. According to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, general manager John Schneider is not sure whether star running back Marshawn Lynch will return to the NFL in 2015.
In a radio interview on ESPN 710 in Seattle on Tuesday, Schneider had this to say about Lynch.
Whether or not he (Lynch) wants to play next year, I can’t answer that. I don’t know if he knows at this juncture.
In discussing what might play into Lynch’s decision, Schneider looked at two long seasons for the team and how that may have impacted the veteran running back.
It’s hard for these guys,” he said. “We’ve played a lot of football these last two years, and especially the way this guy runs the ball. It’s taxing on his body. And so he needs to reset himself and get in that mind frame of ‘okay, I’m ready to get moving here again and get prepared for another season of this.’ And so obviously we’d like to have a decision as quickly as we could so we can move forward. But we’d love to have him back.
If you remember, there was some talk about Lynch retiring prior to the start of the 2014 season. Though, that could have had more to do with the running back looking for a long-term extension from the team. Lynch actually held out of camp for a week prior to the Seahawks throwing an additional $1.5 million of guaranteed cash his way.
Slated to count $8.5 million against the cap in 2015, there was some in-season talk that Seattle was going to move on from Lynch after the year. That was quickly quieted following a report that the team was prepared to offer him a lucrative extension.
This is likely less about the cash and more about Lynch’s mentality. To say that he’s not your average person would be an understatement. No one outside of Lynch’s small group of friends and family know what he’s going to do. Heck, even Lynch might still be on the fence right now.
As it relates to the Seahawks, they would like an answer at some point soon. Despite boasting two young running backs in the form of Christine Michael and Robert Turbin, this is a team that needs to know what its cap situation is going to look like heading into free agency next month. That’s only magnified by the fact that the two-time defending NFC champions have a ton of upcoming free agents and extensions to work out with some young core players.
Lynch, 28, put up 1,673 total yards and a league-leading 17 touchdowns from the running back position last year.
Photo: USA Today