Marshawn Lynch reportedly wants a new contract, but that didn’t stop him from showing up for the Seahawks’ mandatory minicamp this week. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) reports that Lynch has arrived at the team’s camp, after ESPN.com’s Terry Blount wrote earlier today that the four-time Pro Bowler was expected to be in attendance.
According to Blount, Lynch doesn’t want to pay the fine of nearly $70K that would be levied upon him if he missed this week’s practices with the club. However, the running back’s presence at the minicamp doesn’t mean that he’s willing to drop his demands for a new contract — Blount suggests that Lynch believes the Seahawks will be open to negotiating in good faith.
Lynch is entering the third year of the four-year deal he signed with the Seahawks in 2012 and is set to earn a base salary of $5MM this year and $5.5MM in 2015. However, taking into account the bonus money also included in the pact, the 28-year-old still ranks among the top five backs in the league when it come to average annual value.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggested last week that Seattle isn’t particularly inclined to work something out with the standout rusher, in part because he’s already paid well relative to other players at his position, and also because it would set a bad precedent for players pushing for new contracts halfway through large extensions.