Marshawn Lynch Hasn’t Filed For Retirement

The Seahawks placed Marshawn Lynch on the reserve/retired list, but the running back has yet to file the corresponding paperwork on his end, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. The source adds that Lynch has had no direct communication with the Seahawks about his plans either, which leaves the door open to speculation about his future. 

On Super Bowl Sunday, Lynch posted an image of green cleats hung up over a wire, ostensibly signifying the end of his football career. Lynch reportedly also told people close to him that he intends to retire, but he seems to have left things open ended with the Seahawks and the league office.

The simplest explanation here is that Lynch has not signed a stack of forms sitting next to his mail pile in the kitchen. Alternatively, Lynch could be plotting a 2016 return, though it might not be in Seattle. If Lynch decides to play football in 2016, the Seahawks would then have to decide whether they want to reabsorb his ~$9MM base salary for the upcoming season. With roughly $9.5MM in cap space (per Over The Cap), the Seahawks could have a tough time fitting the veteran running back into their budget. Hypothetically, if Lynch comes back and the Seahawks feel they don’t have space, they could trade him or cut him.

As it stands, the Seahawks are set to go into the season with a backfield headlined by Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael. Beyond that, the team has a group of rookie running backs including third-round selection C.J. Prosise.

A five-time Pro Bowler, Lynch was named a First-Team All-Pro in 2012, and has a Super Bowl ring. For his career, the former first-round pick racked up a total of 9,112 rushing yards for the Seahawks and Bills, averaging 4.3 yards per carry and totaling 83 touchdowns. While his final season was cut short by injuries, he had earned four consecutive Pro Bowl nods prior to 2015.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.