The Seattle Seahawks may look at the trade or release of Marshawn Lynch once the playoffs end for the Seahawks and in 2015, teams like the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers could be options for the running back, as he could be a cap casualty for Pete Carroll in the future.
Lynch has been one of the most valuable players for the Seahawks over the last few years, but his issues off the field and his contract status could force the team to part ways with the running back. According to Peter King at the MMQB, it's likely that the Seahawks and Lynch split at the end of the season, as Lynch is getting to the age of 30 and with his contract a fairly decent cap number for 2015, he could be one of the veterans that is let go from the roster.
The team may try to trade Lynch, but since teams know he likely will be let go, there is a chance the Seahawks may not have a great market for him. Lynch has been excellent for the Seahawks during this stretch of his career, but they have been preparing for his departure. Lynch had his salary bumped up for 2014 after a contract holdout and the team opted to give him money that he would have otherwise had to earn through performance bonuses. King wrote that Lynch likely agreed to that deal over taking money down the line because he probably could see the writing on the wall for the Seahawks.
The money is part of the issue, as the team will have to deal with signing Russell Wilson and other players, but his antics off the field also have come into focus. For a time it was a mostly cute story about Lynch and how he interacts with the media, but now things have become a distraction at times. ESPN.com reported earlier in the season that the Seahawks have grown "tired" of Lynch and it cited his absence from the White House event after winning the Super Bowl as well as his alleged locker room issues following the Percy Harvin trade.
The Seahawks appear to be preparing for life after Lynch, as they have drafted Robert Turbin and Christine Michael over the past few years and have been giving them increased attention. Lynch rushed for over 1200 yards again this season, but down the stretch he had about as many carries during the regular season as Turbin. The team likes Turbin and he could be ready to take over after playing in all 16 games in each of the past three seasons. Lynch has been as consistent as anyone during his career with the Seahawks, but the business side of things may push him elsewhere in 2015.
Numerous teams would be interested in Lynch if he makes it onto the market, as the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens all could use a boost in the rushing game. Bill Belichick also could be interested, as the Patriots lost Stevan Ridley to an injury this season and they are always looking at new running backs.
