Marshawn Lynch might retire: what it means

According to Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider, Marshawn Lynch is leaning toward retirement. Either way, it won’t change things for the 2016 Seahawks.

John Schneider confirmed on Friday what was already widely believed. Marshawn Lynch is considering retirement, and probably will do so. What Schneider didn’t get into though, it what Lynch’s decision means for the Seahawks.

For starters, Lynch retiring doesn’t mean much for the Seahawks in terms of their salary cap situation. I mean, it could help, but it won’t.

The Seahawks would have to right to re-coup two-thirds of the signing bonus Lynch was given last season. If they get that money back, then it would come off the salary cap as well.

The thing is, going after that signing bonus is optional. The Seahawks won’t do it. Since Pete Carroll and John Schneider joined the organization, they’ve repeatedly shown that they don’t operate that way.

That means that the Seahawks will gain $6.5 million in cap space whether Lynch retires. That’s the same amount of cap space that’ll be saved if he decides not to retire and is cut instead.

Make no mistake here: If Marshawn doesn’t retire, he still won’t be with the Seahawks next year. If Lynch decides he still wants to play, he’ll be doing so for another team.

The Seahawks simply have no reason to pay him everything he is owed for next season. Thomas Rawls was the significantly better running back this season. Rawls is the man who’ll be starting for the Seahawks next season.

So ultimately, Marshawn’s decision only matters for Marshawn. The Seahawks have already moved on.