It would appear the start of the new NFL season may be causing one recently retired player to get the itch to play football again. Running back Marshawn Lynch, who retired last season from the Seattle Seahawks, is reportedly considering a possible return to the football field.
Citing a source with knowledge of the situation, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports Lynch is “up in the air” about a possible return to the National Football League. And we’re not talking about a return in 2017 either. We’re talking about a possible return in the first half of the NFL season.
As noted by Florio, the Seahawks still hold the rights to Lynch’s contract. It would then be up to the Seahawks to decide whether or not to make room on the roster for Lynch in the event the running back files the required paperwork to return to the NFL. He was place don the NFL’s reserve-retired list by the Seahawks upon his decision to retire. The Seahawks could also work out a trade to send him to another team in need of a running back. The Seahawks would owe Lynch the prorated share of a $9 million contract should he return and the team decide to keep him around.
More from Florio;
If he returns before the trade deadline, which comes on the Tuesday after Week Eight, Lynch would become a free agent, if released. After the trade deadline, he would pass through waivers, if the Seahawks cut him. (Obviously, at that point they couldn’t trade him.)
We still need to see Lynch decide to return to the league first, but the Seahawks will be very intriguing to watch while we wait. Could they use a slightly refreshed Lynch for a stretch run to a division title, and perhaps more, or will the Seahawks have figured out how to win without Lynch running the ball and find other ways to spend their money?
One thing we do feel confident in saying is the NFL will be more entertaining if Lynch is around doing whatever he has to do in order to not be fined.
