Maybe there is hope that Lynch will be retained?

[monkey]

http://www.fieldgulls.com/seahawks-analysis/2014/11/10/7189169/seahawks-marshawn-lynch-russell-wilson-salary-cap-free-agency

Hmmm...interesting.
Let's just hope that at his age he doesn't hit that RB wall if they keep him.

[NorthHawk]

Let's hope we can keep him. The rest of the team feeds off of his efforts when he breaks tackles and pushes the pile.
He might just be one of those exceptions and maybe keeping his carries low for a good part of the year can help extend his career.

[Zorn76]

I've been an advocate of keeping Beast next yr from the get go, but I'll be curious how each party sees his future in Seattle.
This article is informative, since it paints a plausible scenario that could see Lynch stay. Until now, I've been assuming that it was a done deal that he was gone.

Marshawn, for all his stuff that people don't like off the field, is a total pro on it. For a franchise that's made plenty of bad FA deals, his was one of the best.

I agree with the author's stance that we need to draft a RB, too, because I don't think we can bank on Michael to be the heir apparent to ML. I know he had a nice game Sunday, but CM will need legit competition to stay hungry for PT, and we may end up finding a better prospect next spring anyway.

Remember all the summer talk that Michael would just be able to step in and replace Lynch, possibly as soon as this season at some point? There were a few in here that said CM wouldn't be much of a drop off from ML, despite the fact that the guy has had nagging injuries while having virtually no playing time (PT) until this season.

It's more than just numbers or stats. It's about reckoning with a force that nobody wants to gameplan for. That's what ML brings to the table.

And for a team that relies on the run as much as we do, we need the best possible replacement out there when that day comes. CM may turn out to be a legit #1 RB, but I doubt very much he gets the job handed to him without others competing.

[savvyman]

Is there any player on the Hawks EVER who deserved their pay check more than Marshawn?

Marshawn is still performing at an Elite level - Who in their right mind would not expect the Hawks to keep Marshawn on the team for another year after this season ends?

[RiverDog]

There's more to this drama than just the dollars and cents. Lynch is eccentric to say the least, and there's been rumblings that him and the FO don't see eye-to-eye, and not j/b of the Percy fiasco. I wouldn't want to bet on him coming back, nor would I bet against it.

[NorthHawk]

If they do go RB early, I hope it's Todd Gurley from Georgia. He's big and strong and fast - but he's no Marshawn Lynch, not very many are.
RBs have been undervalued the last few years so maybe he'll still be there when our selection is up.

[Bird Droppings]

Dog, you are spot on.

Beast Mode will make this call and it is not in the best interest of the front office to stand in the way if the Beast starts pizzing into the wind.

But a trade would only be to the Raiders ... and would they give up a top 5 pick in the draft, plus a later rounder for him?

As in the fiascos of the last off season and pre-season ... I am absolutely certain that management has talked this over with Mr. Lynch already ....

....and wants to leave everyone in the dark until the last minute.

He is a smart man, don't let any facades or stereotypes fool you.

Whose hope we talkin' ''bout, bossman?

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[Hawk Sista]

I have been following along w/ the story line that Beast Mode would be gone @ season's end for a variety of reasons...age & eccentricity leading the list.

Eff all that. BEAST MODE is the tone setter on this team. I'm all about RW and understand that the threat of his legs helps beast, the reverse is also true. At present, there is not another back in the league I'd trade Lynch for. Turbo & CM (even the 1-2 punch of the both of Em) will scare very few defenders. KEEP THE BEAST!

[Hawk Sista]

PS - did you all hear Earl's comments about Marshawn? He said he wants Lynch on this team until he wants to hang up his cleats. He said the D feeds off of his style. The end

[mykc14]

After looking at Lynch's cap number in the middle of last year I have thought that he was gone after this year but I really hope I am wrong. I wouldn't mind us even signing him to a multi-year deal after this season (something like a 3 year extension) which would put him at 32 by the end of the contract. I don't know that he would do that but he is somebody that I would love to keep. I am hoping that we can take care of O-line, Wr and DE somehow this offseason as well. I don't know how it would look exactly but I would love to get a true #1 WR in FA, draft O-line in 1st round, and re-sign Avril/sign DE in FA. I don't know if the funds will be there for sure and we almost certainly wouldn't be able to do that and re-sign RW, Wags, KJ, and Carp but we HAVE to improve the OL and WR positions. We might have to choose between KJ, Wags and Avril (hopefully being able to sign 2). Based on what we currently have signed for next year we should have 41 players undercontract at about 105 mil. If the author of the article is correct in his guess that the cap will be about 143 mil and we have 7 mil to roll over this year we COULD have about 45 mil to spend next offseason. Those numbers are not including KJ, Avril, Carp who are both FA's while Wags, Okung, RW, and few others will need to be resigned (it does include beast). If RW's hit is about 10 in year 1, that leaves about 35 mil to sign a FA WR (another 8-12 depending on salary structure) leaving us between 23-27 to take care of DE (re-sign Avril or sign somebody else), OL (re-sign Carp/upgrade elsewhere), and try to take care of KJ while leaving the door open to maybe extend Wags. We also will need to save some for draft picks.

[Uppercut]

He stays or the FO trades him to Oakland Raiders for # 1 draft pick. But if raiders go to Texas ML may want to stay.

[Oly]

I couldn't see most franchises giving up more than a low 3rd for a RB on the wrong side of 30. New England would probably offer a 4th at most. That says nothing of how much he's worth, but more about how much teams value draft picks. If we got the Raiders' #1, I am sure that JS would jump on that, but even a team as dysfunctional as the Raiders wouldn't be likely to give up more than a 2nd.

Personally, I'd rather have Lynch than anything other than a high 1st (which won't happen). Like ET, I want Lynch to retire a Hawk. Let's just hope that's what Lynch wants, too.

[Zorn76]

I couldn't see most franchises giving up more than a low 3rd for a RB on the wrong side of 30. New England would probably offer a 4th at most. That says nothing of how much he's worth, but more about how much teams value draft picks. If we got the Raiders' #1, I am sure that JS would jump on that, but even a team as dysfunctional as the Raiders wouldn't be likely to give up more than a 2nd.

Personally, I'd rather have Lynch than anything other than a high 1st (which won't happen). Like ET, I want Lynch to retire a Hawk. Let's just hope that's what Lynch wants, too.

Agree completely.

IMO, we would be lucky to get more than a 5th rd pick for even a guy like Beast. He'll be 29 next April, and is in his 8th season now, with a ton of mileage on his body. He's playing great - especially when he has holes to run through like Sunday - but he's also a prime candidate to hit a wall by 30, or retire.

On that note, I don't think he's looking to play much longer than a yr or two anyway. We'll see what happens.
Meanwhile, we gotta bring in more people to compete to be his heir apparent beyond Michael. It would be foolish not to, and I think Pete will go that route as it is.

[RiverDog]

Dog, you are spot on.

Beast Mode will make this call and it is not in the best interest of the front office to stand in the way if the Beast starts pizzing into the wind.

But a trade would only be to the Raiders ... and would they give up a top 5 pick in the draft, plus a later rounder for him?

As in the fiascos of the last off season and pre-season ... I am absolutely certain that management has talked this over with Mr. Lynch already ....

....and wants to leave everyone in the dark until the last minute.

He is a smart man, don't let any facades or stereotypes fool you.

Whose hope we talkin' ''bout, bossman?

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Bird, do you really think the Raiders would give up a top 5 pick plus for a 29 year old RB? If Lynch was 5 years younger, maybe. But pushing 30? No way, especially for a team like the Raiders that are more than just a player or two away from being a contender.

[Distant Relative]

Bird, do you really think the Raiders would give up a top 5 pick plus for a 29 year old RB?

Is that really a question?

[Seahawks4Ever]

I am glad that it wasn't Pete & Co. that got burned on the Shaun Alexander resigning and so they don't have that coloring their thinking. yeah, with most RB's, even the elite ones they slide down hill real fast after hitting the age of 30, especially guys who run like Lynch does. But, there have been a few exceptions and Marshawn could just be one of them. Look at Frank Gore, he is still going strong. Steven Jackson the former Oregon and Rams star fell like a rock, both ran the ball hard like Lynch.

But, while Lynch runs hard he is also many times being the guy who delivers the first hit rather than taking it and that just might be the key. Lynch is signed with the team through 2015 and though he would earn a huge chunk next year it just might be prudent to keep him and hope he beats the odds.

Until the day comes when Russell Wilson can throw the ball for 300 yards or more when ever we need him to do so Marshawn Lynch is the engine that drives our offense and if he ain't broke don't chuck him.

[THX-1138]

If it were up to me I'd keep Lynch on the team no matter what. I'd pay him to carry the rock until his feet fell off and then I'd pay him to coach up the new RB's. And when all that was done I'd pay him to just hang out at games and dance with Hauschka. Probably a good thing I'm not in the FO.

I was one of those that thought that he was as good as gone after this year, but with the way he has played even in the glare of all the publicity he has gotten ever since the lead up to the Super Bowl, through his hold out, during the rumors of his alleged discontent over the Harvin fiasco, I have hope. I HOPE that Pete and John and Marshawn can sit down with each other and figure out how to get Lynch to retire with the team he helped to get a ring and a supreme trophy case prize.

Pragmatic I aint.

[Bird Droppings]

Well, Dog, the consensus of Shack Up Artists herein seem to want to keep him ... not only through 2015 ... but beyond, if they have to.

And we're talking the Raiders, here, who have killed off more mock draft constructors than all other teams in the league combined when you are talking about the first round.

You wanna think the kid is any more rational than Al hisself?

We're talking about a football player who can get a statue up in Oaktown and no tagger will dare spray it.

And Oakland needs football heroes, especially local ones.

Hey, I'll take a second rounder this year and a first rounder next year ... if that's the way it plays out.

I'm not betting money that they would trade their first, or even a beer, but, it would not shock me.

As for Shack football predictors, remember the poll Kemo Saavvy started before the season about what team in the division would give the Seahawks the most trouble this year .... and, if I recall, out of over thirty respondents only one poster picked the Cardinals. Oh, gee, everybody forgot about such a prestige packed predicting panel pummeled and packaged in pain.


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