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Marshawn Lynch

Latest On Potential Holdouts

June 16th, 2014 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

We won’t know for sure until the Niners‘ minicamp officially gets underway tomorrow, but based on his latest comments and a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, it appears that Vernon Davis won’t be present in Santa Clara. While Davis is one notable veteran who may be absent from his club’s minicamp in the hopes of negotiating a new contract, he’s not the only one. Rapoport (Twitter link) also has updates on a few more players who are believe to be unhappy with their current situations for one reason or another, so let’s round them up….

  • Marshawn Lynch still hasn’t informed the Seahawks of his plans, says Rapoport. We heard last week that the running back is seeking a new contract and that the team is at least preparing for the possibility that he won’t be in attendance this week. The prospect of retirement was even mentioned, though I’d be very surprised if that becomes a real possibility.
  • According to Rapoport, the Texans don’t expect Andre Johnson to attend the club’s minicamp. It’s not clear if Johnson wants a new contract — his frustration seems to be more a result of Houston’s poor 2013 season and concerns about the team’s direction heading into the ’14 campaign.
  • Despite persistent rumblings that he wants to retire, the Cowboys anticipate Kyle Orton will be present at their camp. Per Rapoport (Twitter link), Dallas has long been optimistic that the No. 2 quarterback will show up because the team will look to recoup a portion of his signing bonus if he opts to retire. Privately, Orton continues to weigh the decision, according to Rapoport.

Extra Points: Thomas, Jaguars, Sanders

June 15th, 2014 at 10:14pm CST by Ben Levine

Cornerback Terrell Thomas played 16 games for the Giants in 2013, proving that his torn ACL was long behind him. However, the 29-year-old has yet to find a team for next season and he’s blaming it in on his past injury.

Thomas took to SiriusXM NFL Radio and told hosts Alex Marvez and Zig Fracassi his thoughts on front offices’ hesitation to sign him (hat tip to ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio):

“I understand that,” Thomas said, “but I played in 18 games last year, and I’ve still got tread left on these tires.

“This NFL game is not loyal. It’s a part of business. I understand it and I respect it. As a veteran, I’m a plug-in starter. I don’t need to go through OTAs, through minicamps to get reps… I can go in and play right now. So I’ll be ready whenever my number’s called, whenever the right team picks me. All I need is one team to love me. All I need is one team to give me an opportunity. My play speaks for itself.”

Following the Lions release of Chris Houston on Friday, Florio guesses that Thomas’ next destination will be Detroit.

Let’s see what else is going on around the NFL…

  • The Jaguars do have some aging veterans on the roster, but ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco doesn’t envision any of them being on the roster bubble. Nonetheless, he mentions that defensive ends Jason Babin and Tyson Alualu and defensive backs Mike Harris and Chris Prosinski will be pushed by young players.
  • DiRocco would also be “very surprised” if wide receiver Ace Sanders didn’t make the Jaguars roster. Coming off a 50-catch season, Sanders would only stand to lose his roster spot if he continues to be “average” as a punt returner.
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe takes a quick look at some holdout candidates, mentioning Texans wideout Andre Johnson, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, and 49ers tight end Vernon Davis and guard Alex Boone.

Marshawn Lynch Seeking New Contract

June 12th, 2014 at 4:39pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 4:39pm: While Lynch hasn’t informed the Seahawks of any plans to skip the team’s minicamp, he does want a new contract, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). However, Rapoport adds (Twitter links) that Seattle isn’t inclined to work something out with the running back, since he’s already the fifth-highest-paid player at his position and it would set a precedent for players pushing for new contracts halfway through large extensions.

WEDNESDAY, 8:47pm: The Seahawks aren’t expecting Marshawn Lynch to attend next week’s mandatory minicamp, sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports. Lynch is thought to be unhappy with his contract, but it’s not clear if that’s the only reason for him boycotting OTAs and next week’s activities.

If Lynch does miss Seattle’s minicamp, it’ll be the first time he’s stayed at home for the mandatory practice in his career. The tailback is entering the third year of a 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. While Lynch didn’t play a big role in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl romp over the Broncos, he has been an integral part of the team for the past three seasons and change. The 28-year-old has racked up 4,624 yards on the ground to go with 41 rushing touchdowns.

Lynch finished the 2013 season with 1,257 yards, giving him his third straight thousand-yard season. He also registered 14 total touchdowns, a career-high. There’s no reason to expect Lynch to miss regular season action or demand a trade, but it appears that the tailback is rather dissatisfied with his situation.

NFC Links: Simpson, Lynch, Giants, Davis

June 12th, 2014 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran wide receiver Jerome Simpson was surprised that he had to take a pay cut from the Vikings, write Chris Tomasson and Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press. Simpson set a career high last season for receiving yards and was two catches shy of his best season ever in that category, but a DUI hurt his leverage. Ultimately, he saw his salary chopped from $2.1MM in 2013 to $1MM in 2014.

“I can’t lie. I was definitely surprised that I get paid less than what I got last year,” Simpson said. “I had my best numbers. But I guess when you got that negative thing on you, they kind of got you behind the eight-ball.“

Here are several more Thursday links from around the NFC:

  • No one knows for sure yet if Marshawn Lynch will or won’t be in attendance when the Seahawks‘ mandatory minicamp gets underway, but if the running back holds out for a new contract, it won’t be a surprise, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Meanwhile, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap explains why Lynch has to do this now if he wants to strengthen his job security going forward. We heard last night that the Seahawks aren’t expecting Lynch to show up for the start of the camp.
  • Although they haven’t signed any new players yet, the Giants are believed to have hosted about 10 non-roster players for auditions yesterday, according to Jordan Raanan and Conor Orr of NJ.com.
  • Tight end Vernon Davis is seeking a new contract and didn’t show up for the 49ers‘ voluntary workouts, but he recognizes the mandatory nature of the team’s upcoming minicamp, as Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News writes. “It’s mandatory, so I should be there, for sure,” Davis said during an appearance on KNBR 680-AM in San Francisco.
  • While the Packers‘ decision to sign troubled tight end Colt Lyerla last month raised some eyebrows, Green Bay takes pride in developing all kinds of young players, according to Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report, who wonders if Lyerla could fill a void at the position for a club that no longer has Jermichael Finley on its roster.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Seahawks Notes: Price, Richardson, Lynch

May 17th, 2014 at 2:44pm CST by Rob DiRe

Keith Price, former quarterback from the University of Washington, has been shining at Seahawks rookie camp, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Coming from Steve Sarkisian’s offense in college to Pete Carroll’s has eased the transition. Sarkisian was Carroll’s offensive coordinator at USC.

Here are some other notes from Seahawks camp:

  • Price was excited to have the opportunity to stay close to where he made his name as a college standout, writes Terry Blount of ESPN.com. “I had my mind set here,” Price said. “I was very familiar with the [offensive] system and the coaches. And I love this place. I love Seattle and I love being here. There’s great competition at the quarterback spot, and I’m a competitive guy.” Price will have to compete with Tarvaris Jackson, Terrelle Pryor, and B.J. Daniels for a spot on the active roster.
  • The quarterback was not the only bright spot of the team’s offensive practices, as second-round pick Paul Richardson has impressed already, writes Clare Farnsworth of Seattle.com. Richardson was on the receiving end of Price’s passes. His 4.33 speed was on display as he ran past the defense, consistently getting open.
  • Marshawn Lynch is set to star in a movie about his own life, writes Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News. Lynch is notorious for avoiding the media, but is excited about the opportunity to showcase his story. “For me, it’s just about having some fun,” Lynch said. “It’s just a fun experience. I also get to the shine light on the community and some of the things that we grew up doing and what we went through.”