The Seattle Seahawks continue to benefit from 'Beast Mode' which has the team rethinking their relationship with Marshawn Lynch. The running back played a huge role in the comeback win against the Green Bay Packers to secure back-to-back trips to the Super Bowl and Seattle is recognizing just how important Lynch is to the team. After months of trade rumors circled around his name, could Lynch actually be returning to Seattle in 2015?
According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Seahawks understand just how important Lynch is to the franchise and are willing to keep him around through the duration of his contract. Lynch has one more year and $5 million remaining on his contract and despite all of the off-the-field issues, the running back is easily one of the most valuable players on the roster. He accounted for 26.8 percent of the team's yards from scrimmage while getting 39.0 percent of the offensive touches. According to Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman, Lynch is the league MVP.
"Marshawn Lynch is playing MVP-caliber football ," Sherman said, via the team website. "I remember the last time a running back got it - I think he had 2,000 yards and broke close to a record, but he also had 14 touchdowns, and Marshawn has 16 touchdowns."
There might not be as many factors that go in to Lynch's return as some though. Wilson is still in need of a contract extension as he prepares to enter the final year of his deal, but strategic salary cap building means Lynch can return even with Wilson's proposed extension. Colin Kaepernick signed a deal worth $126 million and Wilson will earn more. But Seattle has handled their free agents so well that the team will still have plenty of cap space to work with. According to Spotrac.com, they have $19 million to work with at the moment.
The Seahawks have already locked in three of their most important assets in Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. They had room to sign Cliff Avril and will likely aim to get an upgrade at the wide receiver spot. That means they can still re-sign Wilson, keep Lynch for one more year and potentially make it three consecutive trips to the Super Bowl.