John Clayton speculates Marshawn Lynch ‘100 percent done’ in Seattle
Jan 18, 2016, 3:17 PM | Updated: Jan 19, 2016, 10:40 am
The strong possibility of retirement and a $9 million base salary make it seemingly unlikely for Marshawn Lynch to return to Seattle in 2016. (AP)
(AP)
There are question marks about which players the Seahawks will be able to bring back next season, from offensive linemen Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy to linebacker Bruce Irvin and several others. From John Clayton’s perspective, one person who won’t be back is running back Marshawn Lynch.
“One-hundred percent, there is no way I can see (him back) with his salary,” Clayton said on “Brock and Salk” Monday. “Yeah, if he would take a pay-cut, massive pay-cut, then he can come back, but you know that’s not gonna happen.”
Lynch is under contract until 2017 and is scheduled to make $9 million next season in base salary, which the Seahawks may not be willing to pay. There’s also the possibility that Lynch could retire, which he strongly considered last offseason.
“With his salary, with the way that the played this year, with sometimes the headaches he creates for the coaches and the front office and all that, this is it for Marshawn,” Clayton said. “You know everybody here in this town is going to wish him the best because he’s been so special as a talent.”
While the Seahawks could release Lynch, Clayton wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a trade.
“There could be, but they’re not gonna get much value because you’re trading a big contract,” he said. “The problem is, if you trade him to (his hometown of) Oakland, what if Oakland moves? You’re trading him to San Diego. That could be an option. I think that they’ll try to do something to accommodate him, but you still kind of wonder where his mind (is) as far as wanting to continue to play football. He’s meant a lot to this city and a lot to this game. I don’t know.”
Clayton hopes Lynch doesn’t retire the cleats after a season in which abdominal surgery held him out for eight of the Seahawks’ last nine games.
“Based on the injury he had and everything else, you would hope he wants to play because I’d like to see him get two more good years and we can talk about him for the Hall of Fame,” he said. “But I don’t know where his mind is. And you know one thing for sure, he’s never going to share it with us individually.”
