2016 NFL Free Agency: 5 Possible Marshawn Lynch Landing Spots
By Erik Lambert
Nov 15, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) stiff arms Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) during the first quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
As with all things, money may put an end to the Marshawn Lynch era in Seattle in 2016.
After their bevy of contract extensions handed out to key players like Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, the Seattle Seahawks have been put squarely in the sights of a salary cap crunch. That combined with injury and age could force them to make a decision regarding star running back Lynch according to Greg Bishop of MMQB.
"“Lynch will present John Schneider, the Seahawks’ general manager, with a dilemma this offseason. He’s a complete back but an older one, a leader who doesn’t strive to lead, and he’s important to the Seahawks for reasons beyond the stat sheet, even as his stats are likely to continue to diminish. Going into the Cardinals game, Lynch ranked 41st out of 49 qualifying backs in yards per carry, at 3.6. Last year, he ranked 13th at 4.7. His average yards after contact were also down, from 2.5 to 1.9, according to ESPN Stats & Information, but that could have resulted from his injuries and the Seahawks’ abysmal line play.And while statistics can often be misleading, two other numbers matter greatly. One is 1,181—the number of times Lynch carried the ball over the past four seasons, a league high. The other is $11.5 million—what Lynch is due next season, according to Spotrac.com. It’s money that, if not paid to Lynch, could be spent elsewhere (captain obvious speaking: to improve the offensive line).”"
If that were to happen, there is no doubt there would be interest around the league. Lynch has shown he still has gas in the tank when healthy and could be a game changer in the right situations. It’s just a matter of which teams will want him or he will want to play for. Here are five to keep an eye on in 2016 NFL free agency.
Dallas Cowboys
This makes plenty of sense because the Dallas Cowboys haven’t been quite the same team since they lost DeMarco Murray to free agency. Sure, they’ve made due with guys like Darren McFadden but haven’t been at their best behind what is one of the best offensive lines in football. Lynch would thrive in that backfield taking handoffs from Tony Romo.
New England Patriots
Scooping up veteran running backs is a time-honored tradition for the New England Patriots. It’s something they’ve had a lot of success with in the past with guys like Corey Dillon and Fred Taylor. Given their struggles running the football of late (92.8 yards per game), Lynch would make a fine short-term solution and likely see plenty of big runs thanks to the threat of Tom Brady.
Denver Broncos
Few head coaches love running the football more than Gary Kubiak. His system is built around making that position successful, and by extension the team. Lynch would be easily one of the most talented backs to ever play in it. Given the success lesser ones have had, that’s a great thing. Whether the Denver Broncos can lure him in despite the possible retirement of Peyton Manning is the big question.
Carolina Panthers
Lynch will obviously be lured to contending teams, but probably more so to ones that are liable to run the football more often. That is why the Carolina Panthers cannot be discounted as a threat. They loves to run the ball (ranked 3rd in NFL) and often use a back-by-committee approach in order to preserve their players. They could use somebody to pair with Jonathan Stewart.
Oakland Raiders
There is one other important thing to remember. Lynch is a native of Oakland, California. The Oakland Raiders were his team growing up. Why wouldn’t he have the compulsion to play for them before his career ended? After all, they up-and-coming as it is with Derek Carr and Amari Cooper. He could team with Latavius Murray to create a formidable 1-2 punch.