The Seahawks Should Let Marshawn Lynch Go to the Raiders Happily
By Lee Vowell
Marshawn Lynch expected to be an Oakland Raider sometime this century
Reports had Marshawn Lynch agreeing to terms with the Raiders today, prior to a deal being worked out between the Seattle Seahawks and Raiders.
Marshawn Lynch has signed with the Raiders. Terms to come. @nflnetwork
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) April 14, 2017
But this was not totally correct. After the internet, Raiders fans, Seahawks 12s and the nation as a whole went bananas with the news of Lynch signing with Oakland, Lynch himself tweeted…
If u kno me you kno my business is my business and if u don't kno me that's a fun fact for ya... when shit get REAL I'll let you kno!!!!
— Shawn Lynch (@MoneyLynch) April 14, 2017
The Seahawks stated they were caught off-guard by the news of Lynch coming to terms with Oakland. And rightfully so, because it had not happened.
How much should Seahawks fans care?
As we previously talked about here at 12th Man Rising , the Seahawks have a pretty decent backfield shaping up. If the unit – or at least two of three running backs expected to get most of the carries in Seattle in 2017 (Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls and CJ Prosise) – maintains health, then they should be more productive than a healthy Lynch would have been if he had still been playing in Seattle.
We do not know how productive, if he even plays, Lynch will be. Maybe he becomes a 1,400-yard rusher. The Raiders line is pretty good. On paper that group is better than the Seahawks group. Maybe he scores 12 touchdowns. Is that likely? No. But it could happen.
Lynch chose to retire before 2016 after a not-very-good 2015 season. The Seahawks would have had to move forward with youth either way. Now Seattle has youth and Lacy (who is not old in his own right). Long-term, the Seahawks are better off with Lynch signing with Oakland.
Will Lynch signing in Oakland change the cap room? No. Will Seattle get part of his bonus back? Probably they will not ask. If Lynch does indeed go to Oakland, then Seattle might at least get a draft pick from the Raiders. If before 2016 one were to ask, “What if Seattle trades Lynch to the Green Bay Packers for Lacy and a draft pick, would you take it?” The answer even then may have quite possibly been “yes.”
For all intents and purposes, that “trade” is what is happening prior to the 2017 season. The answer is even more affirmative now. Let Lynch go.