The Seattle Seahawks are in the thick of the playoffs, but after the season the team could look at the trade or release of Marshawn Lynch, as he has a high salary cap number and has caused some headaches off the field and if that happens, teams like the Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals could be interested in him.
Lynch has been fantastic during his run with the Seahawks, including this season, but there is a good chance the two sides part ways after the season. According to ESPN.com, the Seahawks will likely make Lynch a salary cap casualty heading into the 2015, as he has a decent cap number and is making over $6 million this season. Chris Mortensen wrote earlier in the season that the Seahawks have grown "tired" of Lynch and his issues off the field.
Lynch is nearing the age of 30 and while he has been very productive during his time with the Seahawks, they likely will part ways a year early rather than a year late. Mortensen wrote that sources within the team said that they do not expect Lynch to be on the roster come 2015 due to his contract status. Peter King at the MMQB wrote about Lynch and said that his holdout and 2014 contract agreement showed signs of what both sides expect to happen in the future.
Lynch held out before the 2014 season and instead of working out a new contract, the team brought some money from next year up to now and paid him out a bonus that was previously an incentive. Lynch likely realized that the team would consider cutting him in the future and that is why he took the money now rather than risk it going forward. The team has prepared for life without Lynch, drafting Christine Michael and Robert Turbin over the last few years and giving them chances to play.
Turbin has size and speed and he has been groomed as a potential starting option if Lynch is released. The Seahawks have a number of players they will need to lock up and a ton of money is about to get invested in Russell Wilson. The Seahawks have generally made good decisions with letting go of players and now Lynch could be in line to be next. Lynch has rushed for at least 1200 yards in each of his seasons for the Seahawks, but he is getting towards the age of 30 and that is when most backs start to break down.
Mortensen also cited some off the field headaches with Lynch for the Seahawks, including the way he handles the media and his contract holdout. Lynch also reportedly had issues after the Percy Harvin trade and during the Kansas City Chiefs game he reportedly stayed outside the locker room at halftime. Lynch comes in after rushing for 1300 yards this season and he has scored at least 11 touchdowns in each of his last four seasons with the Seahawks.
The Seahawks are defending their Super Bowl title and they are ranked first in the NFL in rushing yards per game this season with over 170 yards per contest.
