Marshawn Lynch signed a nice contract extension in the offseason and so far the Seattle Seahawks are not reaping the benefits of it. The running back is not having the season he was hoping for while injuries have been a huge issue. For an aging running back, that is major cause for concern. As Lynch continues to sit out, head coach Pete Carroll is hopeful the veteran returns in the coming weeks.
Lynch has been out with an abdominal injury that required surgery. This pairs with the hamstring and back issues he has suffered in the past. The Seahawks have managed to win three straight games without Lynch in the lineup, but that does not mean the Seahawks are overlooking his important. According to the Seattle Times, the running back is progressing quickly, but the Seahawks are still uncertain of what his timetable looks like.
"The report's that he's doing really well," Carroll said, via ESPN.com. "He's left Philadelphia now, so we'll see how it goes the next few weeks, see how he comes around. It's so much to ask him to jump back after three weeks. I don't even know how we could think that way. This is Week Three [since the surgery] starting up, so we'll see how it goes."
The issue for Lynch is the rise of Thomas Rawls. The rookie has stepped in for the veteran and proven to Seattle that life without Lynch does not look bad. After yet another 100 yard game, the rookie is looking like a true diamond in the rough and potentially the future of the franchise. With Russell Wilson playing better, Rawls has been the x-factor for the team which could continue for many seasons.
"I never run out of bounds,'' Rawls said, via the Seattle Times. "It's just my make-up; it's my whole mentality. I think I would feel less of a person just running out of bounds instead of being physical, showing toughness, and (having) a different mentality at the running-back position. You've got to be tough. You've got to be a whole different breed. You've got to be uncommon."
According to the Seattle Times, Lynch knows that Rawls is the future, but is uncertain where he stands in the picture after the injury. The Seahawks are benefitting greatly from their rookies this year as Tyler Lockett has stepped up as a needed deep threat for the team. He has paired well with Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse while helping make up for the struggles and injury to Jimmy Graham. Head coach Pete Carroll told the media that he is thrilled with what they have shown.
"Isn't that something?" Carroll said, via ESPN.com. "It's really exciting to see those guys able to contribute in such a big way. That's good for us, that's exactly what we hope happens, and we're going to need a lot more from them as we go down the stretch here."
