Marshawn Lynch - Pro Football Rumors

Seahawks Place Marshawn Lynch On Reserve/Retired List

May 5th, 2016 at 8:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Marshawn Lynch‘s retirement, announced earlier in the offseason, has become official today. The Seahawks announced in a press release that they’ve placed the standout running back on the reserve/retired list, formally removing him from their 90-man roster.

Seattle general manager John Schneider had indicated earlier this week that this move was coming at some point prior to June 1st, since the team prefers to take on Lynch’s entire cap hit this year, rather than spreading it out over 2017 as well. Assuming the Seahawks don’t attempt to recoup a portion of the signing bonus on the running back’s last contract – and they’re not expected to – the club will carry $5MM in dead money on its books for Lynch in 2016.

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.

With Lynch’s retirement official, the Seahawks are expected to turn to Thomas Rawls as their primary back in 2016, assuming he’s healthy. Rawls was impressive in Lynch’s place in 2015, averaging an NFL-best 5.6 yards per carry on 147 attempts, but he fractured his ankle in December and is still on the mend. The team also drafted a trio of running backs last week, nabbing C.J. Prosise in the third round, Alex Collins in the fifth, and Zac Brooks in the seventh.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Bradford, Seahawks, Lions, Rams

May 3rd, 2016 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

Tom Condon, the agent for Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, continues to make a case for a trade on behalf of his client, appearing most recently on Andrew Brandt’s “Business of Sports” podcast. Condon reiterated that Bradford won’t be in attendance when Philadelphia’s voluntary workouts resume, though the podcast was recorded prior to the draft, so it’s not clear if that stance has changed within the last few days.

“I know people say, ‘Why doesn’t he just compete and win the job?'” Condon said, as Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News details. “[But] there is no real competition. [Eagles No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz] is playing, and that’s all there is to it.”

Although Wentz isn’t expected to start immediately, it would certainly be a surprise if the North Dakota State alum is not atop the Eagles’ depth chart by the start of the 2017 season, or even before then.

Here’s more from across the NFC:

Seahawks general manager John Schneider said during an appearance on KJR-AM today that his team prefers not to spread out Marshawn Lynch‘s cap hit over two years. As such, the team figures to place the running back on the reserve/retired list prior to June 1, ensuring that his cap charge only applies to 2016 (Twitter links via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).
With the draft completed, the Lions have made a couple changes to their personnel department, parting ways with veteran scouts Chad Henry and Darren Anderson, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. It’s not uncommon for teams with new general managers – like Detroit with Bob Quinn – to make changes to the scouting department following that new GM’s first draft.
Michael Silver of NFL.com took an interesting, in-depth look at how the Rams decided they wanted to make California quarterback Jared Goff their QB of the future.
Receiver and return man Devin Hester underwent toe surgery in January and is scheduled to earn $3MM in 2016, making his hold on a roster spot in Atlanta tenuous. Still, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes, Hester expects to remain with the Falcons and contribute to the team as long as he can make a full recovery.

West Notes: Rams, Austin, Broncos, Seahawks

April 30th, 2016 at 8:08pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Rams are expected to pick up their 2017 fifth-year option for wide receiver Tavon Austin, but Los Angeles hopes to sign Austin to a long-term extension before the ’17 season rolls around, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (Twitter link). We heard in February that the Rams are intent on extending both Austin and linebacker Alec Ogletree. Bookmark our 2017 Fifth-Year Option tracker.

The draft is still dominating today’s coverage, but life goes on the NFL world. Let’s dive into some more notes from the NFL’s two West divisions…

Like the Rams, the Broncos must decide on a fifth-year option — in Denver’s case, it’s for defensive tackle Sylvester Williams, who would command a $6.757MM salary in 2017. Broncos GM John Elway said he’ll make a decision on Williams on Monday, but called the $6MM+ figure a “pretty big number” (links via Troy Renck of the Denver Post and Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com).
Though the Broncos‘ next offseason focus will obviously be coming to terms on a long-term deal with Von Miller, Elway says the club also wants to work something out with receiver Emmanuel Sanders and linebacker Brandon Marshall, tweets Renck. Both Sanders and Marshall are both entering the final years of their respective contracts, and Sanders, for his part, recently expressed a desire to stay with Denver.
Former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch still hasn’t filed his retirement papers, but Pete Carroll thinks Lynch is committed to remaining retired, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com (Twitter link). “Your guess is as good as mine,” said GM John Schneider when asked about Lynch’s plans (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).
Both Carroll and Schneider said the Seahawks are working on finding another quarterback, and are still speaking with free agent Tarvaris Jackson, tweets Condotta. For what it’s worth, the Seattle duo made those comments before reportedly agreeing to terms with former TCU QB Trevone Boykin.

Extra Points: Lynch, Norman, Panthers, Dolphins

April 23rd, 2016 at 12:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday afternoon…

Marshawn Lynch announced his retirement more than two months ago, and the Seahawks subsequently recognized the decision. However, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com notes that the organization still hasn’t made the accompanying roster move. The writer wonders if Lynch is delaying the retirement to force his release from the organization, which would allow him to sign with any team at any time.
Washington‘s willingness to hand out a big contract to Josh Norman leads Florio to ponder whether the Panthers could have traded the All-Pro cornerback. Carolina will presumably receive a third-round pick as compensation for losing Norman, so Florio acknowledges that a team would have had to give up better assets.
If the Panthers were to bring in a veteran cornerback, ESPN.com’s David Newton says Antonio Cromartie would be the most logical fit (Twitter link).
Despite the Dolphins assertion to the contrary, ESPN.com’s James Walker wonders if the organization is actually worried about their cornerback depth. There are doubts about whether Byron Maxwell can be a true top corner, and the team also has question marks at the number-two and nickel spot.

NFC Notes: Raji, Brees, Seahawks, Rams

March 22nd, 2016 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Packers president Mark Murphy was surprised by B.J. Raji‘s decision to walk away from football, but he respects the former NFL defensive lineman’s decision, as ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky writes.

“Oh yeah, he had been communicating with [team contract negotiator Russ Ball] and we thought we had a deal done,” the Packers president said. “I think it surprised his agent. I’ll tell you, I really respect B.J. It’s not an easy decision. The easy thing to do is take the money. Especially the letter he wrote, he obviously thought things through. No, I was surprised. I’m happy for him. He obviously gave it some thought.”

While Raji won’t be playing in 2016, he left the door open for a return in the future, and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy believes the big defensive tackle will eventually return. “It would have to be at the right time,” McCarthy said, per Demovsky.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Saints quarterback Drew Brees says that extension talks are ongoing, though he does not know when or if a deal will be worked out, as Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune writes. “I don’t know that it is something that will be done next week or before the end of the year or next year or when,” Brees said on 104.5-FM in Baton Rouge. Brees, 37, is entering the final year of a five-year, $100MM deal he signed in 2012.
Asked today about the message Kam Chancellor posted to Instagram last week indicating that he’s “not going anywhere,” Seahawks GM John Schneider confirmed that the safety will “absolutely” be a Seahawk in 2016, though he didn’t offer any specifics on whether a specific conversation or incident prompted Chancellor to post that message. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times has the details.
Schneider also said today that the Seahawks have not yet received Marshawn Lynch‘s retirement papers, but said there’s no rush to make a roster move involving Lynch — for cap purposes, the club may wait until after June 1 to do anything with Lynch (Twitter link via Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com).
Having lost Rodney McLeod in free agency, the Rams continue to monitor the market in search of potential help at the free safety position, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
Lions GM Bob Quinn indicated today that the team’s extension discussions with 2013’s draft class likely won’t really heat up until after the draft, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). Ezekiel Ansah and Darius Slay are, of course, the two most noteworthy extension candidates who fit that bill.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Lynch, 49ers, Packers

February 17th, 2016 at 6:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

There will be no intrigue or drama when it comes to the Cowboys‘ potential use of the franchise tag. Executive VP Stephen Jones announced Tuesday that the team won’t be using its franchise or transition tag, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. While Jones’ announcement is somewhat unusual, it’s not surprising — when Luke Adams examined potential 2016 franchise tag candidates on Monday, he didn’t mention a single Cowboy, even as a long shot.

Here’s more from the NFC:

If Marshawn Lynch goes through with his retirement, he’ll owe the the Seahawks the $5MM signing bonus from the contract he signed last offseason. However, the team won’t ask for that money back, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Within a look at the 49ers‘ offensive line situation, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes that there’s no timetable for offensive tackle Anthony Davis to file for reinstatement from the NFL’s reserve/retired list. There’s a belief that Davis will return to the Niners after taking a year away from the game. But even if he does, it shouldn’t affect the team’s offseason plan at the position much, as Maiocco notes there’s no guarantee Davis will return at the same level.
The Packers have officially announced some changes to their coaching staff, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, who writes that they’ve hired Ben Sirmans as running backs coach, Brian Angelichio as tight ends coach, and Ejiro Evero as defensive quality control assistant. Sirmans, previously with the Rams, will replace Sam Gash. Angelichio, who was last with the Browns, will take over for Jerry Fontenot.
Demovsky has a year-by-year breakdown of Letroy Guion‘s new contract with the Packers. The deal is heavy on bonus money with $50K in per-game roster bonuses plus another $1.7MM in roster and workout bonuses. Last season, Guion played under a one-year, $2.75MM pact.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Lynch, Seahawks, Packers, Giants

February 11th, 2016 at 8:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a quick spin around the NFC:

Despite Marshawn Lynch‘s indication on Twitter that he is planning to retire — and his agent’s subsequent confirmation — some Seahawks don’t believe that the veteran running back intends to hang up his cleats, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who reports that some Seattle players believe that Lynch will have interest in returning to the field after he presumably skips offseason work. Of course, if Lynch doesn’t officially file retirement papers, the Seahawks are likely to release him, so staying with Seattle might not be an option.
The Packers might need to revamp their offensive line in the coming calendar year, as three starters — guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang, and left tackle David Bakhtiari — as well as key reserve J.C. Tretter, are all set to hit unrestricted free agency after the upcoming season, as Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. With the group’s impending free agent status in mind, general manager Ted Thompson was “glued” to offensive line drills at the Senior Bowl, a source tells Silverstein, who notes that besides finding potential future starters, Green Bay need to bring in offensive line depth after injuries depleted the front five last season.
After the Giants released a trio of veteran players — tackle Will Beatty, guard Geoff Schwartz, and linebacker Jon Beason (who subsequently announced his retirement) — Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News takes a look at who could replace each of the departed. The club is probably set at left tackle, where 2015 first-rounder Ereck Flowers played all last season, and figures to do again in 2016. But at guard, Vacchiano points to Kansas City’s Jeff Allen as a free agent who cold intrigue Big Blue, while at linebacker, Denver’s Danny Trevathan (and his expensive price tag) might be on the Giants’ radar.

Marshawn Lynch Intends To Retire

February 8th, 2016 at 2:43pm CST by Rory Parks

MONDAY, 2:43pm: Lynch’s agent, Doug Hendrickson, confirmed the running back’s plans to retire to Tim Booth of the Associated Press.

SUNDAY, 8:52pm: You had to know that Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch wouldn’t retire in a typical way. On Sunday night, the unique athlete posted an image of green cleats hung up over a wire, likely signifying that he is retiring this offseason. Lynch has also told people close to him that he intends to retire, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Lynch, of course, has contemplated retirement the past several seasons, but this year appears to be the year he finally hangs up the cleats. Seattle GM John Schneider indicated several weeks ago that Lynch was “leaning towards retirement,” and Lynch’s injury-plagued 2015 may have been enough for the enigmatic back to call it quits.

Due to a hamstring injury early in the season and abdominal surgery in late November, Lynch was limited to just seven games in 2015. So while the bevy of reports from recent years indicating that Lynch was mulling retirement will make fans skeptical that he really means it this time, there are some key differences between Lynch’s situation now and then. During his first four years in Seattle, all Pro Bowl seasons, Lynch never ran for less than 1,200 yards or 11 touchdowns. In 2015, he was limited to 417 yards and three TDs in his seven games, and was barely used in Seattle’s playoff loss to the eventual NFC champion Panthers, as the Seahawks quickly fell behind 31-0 and needed to revert to a primarily aerial attack.

Lynch may stand to lose a great deal of money if he retires. As Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com observes (Twitter links), if Lynch does not have a retirement forfeiture clause in his contract, the Seahawks could recover $5MM of the $7.5MM bonus they paid to Lynch last year as part of his new contract (of course, Seattle may not pursue that money, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported when that contract was signed that he did not believe the Seahawks would do so).

Financial considerations aside, Lynch has nothing left to prove on the field. The former California Golden Bear is a five-time Pro Bowler, he was named a First-Team All-Pro in 2012, and he has a Super Bowl ring (had he received one more carry in last year’s Super Bowl, he may well have two rings). If this is it for Lynch, he will end his career averaging 4.3 yards per carry with 83 total touchdowns. Seattle, meanwhile, has 2015 revelation Thomas Rawls ready to step into the starting role if Lynch retires, and the team would suddenly have considerably more cap flexibility, as Lynch is scheduled to count $11.5MM against the cap in 2016.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

West Notes: Lynch, Irvin, Nolan, Cardinals

February 5th, 2016 at 8:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Appearing on Dave Mahler’s radio show on 950 KJR, former Seahawks fullback (and current NFL Network commentator) Michael Robinson said “it’s fair to assume” that Seattle will part ways with running back Marshawn Lynch prior to next season, per Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk. Seahawks general manager John Schneider said last month that Lynch may retire, but the smart play for Beast Mode is probably to force the team to release him, as he wouldn’t have to return signing bonus money if he’s cut. If Seattle does release Lynch, they’d save $6.5MM against their 2016 salary cap.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from the West divisions:

Vinny Curry‘s recent extension with the Eagles is a good sign for Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin, opines Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. Curry’s contract — five years, $47MM, $18MM guaranteed — could set a target for Irvin, who is heading for unrestricted free agency, and as Kapadia notes, is probably a more versatile player than Curry. Irvin did suggest last month that he’d accept less money to stay in Seattle.
Longtime NFL coach Mike Nolan expressed interest in the 49ers defensive coordinator position earlier this year, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). Nolan, of course, served as San Francisco’s head coach 2005-08, but spent last season as the Chargers’ linebackers coach. He’s been linked to the Cowboys’ defensive backs position this offseason.
Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill believes that with a “couple more pieces,” his club will be a Super Bowl contender in 2016, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Bidwill voiced his faith in Arizona’s “core players,” which makes it sound as though the club will target upgrades on the margins. Indeed, head coach Bruce Arians said last month that while the Cardinals will look for pass rush help this offseason, they don’t expect to make a big splash in free agency.
In their efforts to complete a deal for a new stadium, San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer and Chargers owner Dean Spanos have spoken by phone this week, but have yet to meet face-to-face, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The two sides are expected to begin more formal talks soon, per Acee.

Seahawks GM: Marshawn Lynch May Retire

January 22nd, 2016 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Marshawn Lynch‘s future in Seattle is up in the air after an injury-plagued 2015 season, with Lynch owed a sizable salary and Thomas Rawls having emerged as a viable alternative. Appearing today on 710 ESPN Seattle, Seahawks general manager John Schneider was asked about Lynch’s future and said that he’s under the impression the veteran back is “leaning towards retirement” (Twitter links via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).

If Lynch is seriously considering retirement, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time we’ve heard that. A quick glance through PFR’s archives on the Seahawks running back turns up at least two separate stories from 2014 that explore the possibility of retirement. Lynch was also believed to be mulling retiring before signing a new deal with the team last March.

Of course, there are some key differences between Lynch’s situation now and then. During his first four years in Seattle, all Pro Bowl seasons, Lynch never ran for less than 1,200 yards or 11 touchdowns. In 2015, he was limited to 417 yards and three TDs in his seven games, and was barely used in Seattle’s playoff loss last weekend, as the team quickly fell behind 31-0.

Lynch is currently set to earn a base salary of $9MM in 2016, with an overall cap hit of $11.5MM. That’s a significant price to pay for a running back who turns 30 this spring, and who is coming off health issues. Rawls, as an undrafted rookie, averaged an eye-popping 5.6 yards per carry this season, en route to a team-leading 830 rushing yards, so if Seattle decides to move on from Lynch – or vice versa – the team will have a player capable of stepping into the starting role.

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes (via Twitter), Lynch would owe the Seahawks $5MM in signing bonus money if he retires this offseason, so it may be in his best interest to force the club to cut him instead. Releasing Lynch would create at least $6.5MM in cap savings for Seattle, or even more than that if the team were to designate him as a post-June 1.

If past contract negotiations are any indication, Lynch is unlikely to make a quick decision, and the Seahawks won’t be under any real pressure to make a call on the running back until March, so I expect it’ll be some time before we get any resolution one way or the other on this situation.

While Lynch’s future with the Seahawks is up in the air, Schneider said today that tight end Jimmy Graham will definitely be back with the team next season, per Condotta.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.