Ex-Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch Has Reportedly Told Teammates He Might Return

Former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has told two ex-teammates he is still thinking of returning for the 2016 season, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.

Ex-Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch Has Reportedly Told Teammates He Might Return

Cole’s report also states, however, that Lynch’s agent believes his client will not play in 2016.

Earlier this week, cornerback Richard Sherman said he wasn’t completely convinced that we’ve seen the last of Lynch on the field.

“I don’t put anything past him,” Sherman said. “He’s about as predictable as a pair of dice. So I don’t try to call his plays. But obviously, it’s going to be different. We got a little sample of it last year … I think we’re prepared for it in some aspects, but you really never want to be prepared for that. You really would hope he comes back. In the back of your mind, you hope he comes back and plays another year.”

Other Seahawks seem to think otherwise.

“Yeah, I think he’s done,” defensive end Michael Bennett recently told the Seattle Times. “He might make an appearance later on but I think he’s done for right now.”

The Seahawks placed 30-year-old Lynch, nicknamed “Beast Mode,” on the NFL’s reserve/retired list earlier this month. The RB, who has run for 9,112 yards and 74 touchdowns during his 10-year career, never formally announced his retirement. Instead, he posted this photo on his Twitter account during the Super Bowl:

Neck, back, calf and hamstring injuries all limited Lynch to just seven games last season, during which he posted career lows in both rushing yards (417) and rushing touchdowns (3).

Lynch is owed $9 million for the coming season, which Cole says could make the Seahawks reluctant to activate him from the reserve/retired list. Lynch was drafted as the 12th overall pick in 2007 by the Buffalo Bills out of the University of California. He played with the Bills for 3 seasons before joining the Seahawks in 2010. Lynch, a five-time Pro Bowler, also helped lead the Seahawks to a victory over the Denver Broncos at Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

PHOTO: SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 22: Marshawn Lynch #24 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up prior to playing the San Francisco 49ers in their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on October 22, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)