The Seattle Seahawks' reign in the NFC is officially over after the team fell short of beating of the Carolina Panthers. First-half struggles were too much for the second-half comeback as the Seahawks now head into the offseason with several question marks. Over the past two years the Seahawks have done a good of paying their players, but can they keep it up this offseason without sacrificing a few big names in the process?
The biggest question mark for the Seahawks is the future of Marshawn Lynch. After getting a contract extension last offseason, Lynch's impact was small this year. He spent a good portion of the season injured. He did finally return for the matchup against the Panthers, but only managed 20 yards on six carries. He had just one carry in the second half. Was that the swan song for the running back?
According to the Seattle Times, there is a good chance the Seahawks release Lynch this offseason. Lynch will be 30 next season and is set to be an $11.5 million cap hit. That is a lot for an aging running back who struggled with injuries for the entire year. The other knock to Lynch is the success of Thomas Rawls before the rookie suffered a broken ankle. He put up 830 yards in place of Lynch while averaging 5.65 yards per carry. The Seahawks could very easily move on with Rawls in the backfield while potentially signing a free agent for a cheaper contract than what Lynch has.
The Seahawks have a lot of players looking for new contracts. Bruce Irvin is scheduled to be a free agent this year. The defensive end was not happy with the Seahawks opted not to give him a new deal last offseason. To make matters worse, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported before the 2015 season that Irvin publicly stated he would be playing for the Atlanta Falcons next season, reuniting with former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. If the Falcons are smart, they chase Irvin which means a Seattle exit is an option.
Russell Okung and Jermaine Kearse are hitting free agency as well and will get a lot of attention on the open market. Two other players that could turn heads are Kam Chancellor and Michael Bennett. Both players were very open last year about their desire to get new contracts. According to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com, trades are not out of the question. Both players are signed through 2017, but with the Seahawks needing to sign other players, someone might be headed out.
According to ESPN.com, the last question is the future of Jimmy Graham who was a marquee trade last year. The tight end did not live up to the hype. He recorded just 605 yards and two touchdowns before ending the year with a ruptured patellar tendon. He carries of a $9 million cap hit in 2016 with nothing guaranteed to him. It is not out of the question thinking the Seahawks could allocate that money elsewhere and let Graham walk away. Head coach Pete Carroll told the Seattle Times that he expects Graham to return in 2016, but that remains to be seen.
