Regardless of whether running back Marshawn Lynch has or hasn’t commenced the process of returning to the NFL, when he does he’s expected to land with the Raiders. And although the Seahawks by all appearances don’t want him back, they apparently will be trading him to Oakland.
Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Seahawks and Raiders are expected to work out a trade. The deal would be contingent on the Raiders and Lynch working out a new contract.
Under the contract that went into mothballs when the Seahawks placed Lynch on the reserve/retired list, Lynch was due to make $9 million in base salary. What he wants from Oakland isn’t known.
Here’s what is known: If Lynch really wanted to stir things up (and ultimately leave Seattle unfettered), all he needs to do is show up, drop $9 million in cap charges onto a payroll that barely has that much space available, and wait for the team to make the next move.
Coach Pete Carroll suggested last month in a visit with PFT Live that the Seahawks would “consider everything” if Lynch wants to play again. The truth may be (is) that they’ve moved on, and that they may not be (aren’t) interested in continuing the relationship, especially at $9 million. So, eventually, he’d be cut.
Why accept a trade at all, given this reality? Lynch should just show up like Brett Favre did in 2008, and force the Seahawks to pay him $9 million to play for them or to simply move on before it all becomes a major distraction.
Last week, G.M. John Schneider predicted that things will go smoothly. If the Raiders hope to get Lynch without compensation, and if Lynch hopes to go to a team that has its full complement of draft picks, it would be very easy to do this in a not smooth manner.