Marshawn Lynch Seattle Seahawks Rumors: RB Wants Released, Join Oakland Raiders?

Marshawn Lynch-Seattle Seahawks rumors suggest the Pro Bowl running back wants to join the Oakland Raiders and has asked for his release. While there have been quite a few Lynch rumors over the past two NFL seasons, this one is getting pressed hard by Bleacher Report. It’s important to point out that none of it has been confirmed, but sportswriter Jordan Schultz claims that Lynch asked to be released. His report suggests that head coach Pete Caroll and GM John Schneider have already met with the former Seahawks running back about getting cut.

So will Marshawn Lynch unretire to join the Oakland Raiders? As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Raiders have been busy in free agency, although their meetings with top running backs haven’t gone that well. The team was successful in signing tight end Jared Cook but lost running back Latavius Murray to the Minnesota Vikings. The front office didn’t put a lot of effort into re-signing Murray but did get linked to Pro Bowl running backs like Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles. Now “Beast Mode” has joined the list as well.

Could a Marshawn Lynch to Oakland Raiders trade take place? It’s possible. Lynch’s contract rights still belong to the Seahawks as he retired with time still left on that deal. The Seahawks also paid all of a signing bonus to him that could become an issue if Lynch unretires. The team didn’t ask for any of it back when he decided to walk away from the NFL, but that could certainly change if he is seriously intent on joining the Raiders. All of this information also depends on whether the Bleacher Report news even has any validity to it.

One question that Seahawks fans keep asking on social media is whether Marshawn Lynch unretired and actually plans on playing during the 2017 NFL season. So what does “Beast Mode” have to say about any of this? Well, as is typical with Lynch, he has been pretty quiet about the whole situation. Would Lynch unretire if he were able to play for the Raiders? That’s the big question. The answer seems to be yes, as this is his hometown team. It raises the distinct possibly of a Marshawn Lynch to Oakland Raiders trade working.

The power all resides with Seahawks general manager John Schneider. The only way for Lynch to join the Raiders is for Schneider to release him or trade him. Schneider has not hinted that the franchise has even considered cutting Beast Mode from the team. No trade negotiations have taken place between the Raiders and Seahawks either, suggesting that the teams aren’t actually interested in making a deal, no matter what Bleacher Report has been stating. Then there is that pesky Marshawn Lynch contract, which might be too expensive for the Raiders to pay.

If the Oakland Raiders trade rumors resulted in an acquisition, the team would have to pay Lynch a base salary of $9 million in 2017 and then $7 million in 2018. That second season would also include a roster bonus of $3 million. While it might seem like an affordable deal for a top-notch running back, the Raiders have to be more worried about contract extensions for both Derek Carr and Khalil Mack. Paying Lynch would make that a very difficult endeavor, especially as Carr’s inexpensive rookie deal comes to an end.

There is a lot of chatter crisscrossing social media about what the Pro Bowl running back and Super Bowl winner might want to do. It’s very similar to what took place during the 2016 NFL season, as the Seahawks tried to find a good replacement in the running game. If the Oakland Raiders did want to trade for him and offered the Seahawks a good package of draft picks, John Schneider would have to seriously consider it. As it stands, though, the Marshawn Lynch-Seattle Seahawks rumors seem like nothing more than something to get fans talking during a busy offseason.

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