How much does Marshawn Lynch really bring to the Raiders?
By Matt Conner
The Oakland Raiders signing of Marshawn Lynch has drawn considerable hype, but is there substance to it? One Seahawks expert thinks so.
Few stories this offseason garnered as much attention as the return of Beast Mode to his hometown of Oakland. When the Oakland Raiders signed Marshawn Lynch out of retirement, NFL fans all over the country took notice and jersey sales went through the roof as the once-retired running back joined one of the NFL’s best young teams. If fans and analysts weren’t already excited by the Raiders’ offensive potential, Lynch sent them over the top.
But a closer look at the situation yields concerns that the hype might be overblown. Lynch has been out of the league for over a year, and even his final season for the Seattle Seahawks was quite forgettable. He rushed 111 times for 417 yards, good for a subpar 3.8 yards/carry average. Can a 31-year-old running back return to form after a full year out of the league and another below average season? One Seahawks expert thinks so.
We recently asked Lee Vowell, Seahawks expert and writer for 12th Man Rising, for his take on Lynch and the answers were surprising. For those counting out Lynch before the season even starts, you might be surprised to find out how much some others still believe.
The signing of Marshawn Lynch is a big reason for the hype surrounding the Oakland Raiders. Are you buying the hype having watched him with the Seahawks?
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Lynch’s last season with the Seahawks in 2015 was not very good. He looked old and slow. He got injured and 12s were not used to seeing that. Mostly, he can’t really be blamed as the offensive line has been bad in Seattle for the last few years. Still, he is going to run behind a very good line in Oakland and he will be motivated. I think he is a good fit with the Raiders too. He might not rush for 1,000 yards but I can see 900. Though I would not rule out 1,000 or more.
Would you read a year off as a plus (a chance to rest) or a minus (another year out of game shape/readiness)?
Lynch was always in good shape and football-ready. I see this as a win-win for the Raiders and Marshawn. His Beast Mode label is based in Oakland and it’ll be good exposure for him. He’ll help the Raiders as some fans might jump ship as the Raiders will now have left Oakland twice. Plus, he’s a good running back. He’ll help the Raiders on the field as well as off it.
The stats say Lynch seriously struggled his final season. What did your eyes tell you?
That he ran behind a bad line. Sure, Thomas Rawls came in and was fantastic when Lynch was out. But what happened? Rawls got hurt too. The Seahawks line in 2015 and 2016 helped get everybody hurt. Lynch will be fine in 2017. Motivation is the biggest thing for him, and he will be ready to burst with Oakland.
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If you had to make a final guess at Lynch’s stat line for 2017, it would be…?
I can see Lynch getting 900 yards or more and 10 touchdowns and around 4 to 4.5 yards per carry. Possibly he could get fewer yards if the Raiders rest him more and give reps to the backups. I think Lynch will be productive in the time he has. I know that running backs older than 30 historically trend downward quickly, but one or two seasons in Oakland? Lynch will be solid.