Marshawn Lynch is back. Almost, anyway.
The five-time Pro Bowl running back, who abruptly retired from the Seattle Seahawks after the 2015 season with one year remaining on a two-year, $24m contract, is reportedly set to join the Oakland Raiders on an incentive-laden deal.
Lynch, who turns 31 later this month, cannot join the Raiders until a trade from Seattle is completed or he’s tendered his outright release.
Michael Silver and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network were first to report the news of Lynch’s return to football after a one-year absence.
The Oakland native will join a deep backfield that includes second-year backs Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington – but one in need of a power running back after losing Latavius Murray in free agency.
Lynch, who earned the nickname Beast Mode for his punishing style, was perhaps the best in the league before he retired. He had double digits in touchdown runs every season from 2011-14, and his 51 TDs on the ground are the most in the NFL since 2011 despite playing just seven games in 2015 and being retired all last season.
He will look to bounce back from an injury plagued final season with Seattle when he carried just 111 times for 417 yards and three touchdowns.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider told a Seattle radio station earlier this week that he had discussed a deal to send Lynch to Oakland with Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie in the event Lynch did come out of retirement.
“We’ve had dialogue about it,” Schneider told KIRO-AM. “Marshawn is trying to figure things out, the Raiders are trying to figure things out. My understanding is that if he would want to come back and play that it would be for the Raiders and that would be it.”
Schneider said he doesn’t anticipate any difficulties trading Lynch to Oakland because of his long history with McKenzie, who worked with him for years in Green Bay.
“I think it’s one that will go in a smooth manner because of our relationship,” Schneider told the station.
For his career, Lynch has rushed for 9,112 yards and 74 touchdowns.
Lynch was born and raised in Oakland and played college ball nearby at California. He still has strong ties to the area through his Beast Mode company and would be a welcome addition for a fan base still stung by the team’s upcoming move to Las Vegas for the 2020 season.
