Will Marshawn Lynch Return To Beast Mode With Raiders
Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch remains is one of the most popular players in the NFL, thanks to his bruising running style and his infamous press conferences.
After the 2015 season, Lynch decided to retire from the game and spent the next year travelling around the world. At the end of the 2016 season, Lynch indicated he would be interested in returning to the NFL to play for his hometown team, the Oakland Raiders.
The Seattle Seahawks, who held Lynch’s rights, decided to relinquish their rights, which allowed Lynch to sign with the Oakland Raiders.
Once Lynch signed with the Raiders, there was a lot of talk about the team competing for the Super Bowl this year. On paper, the addition of Lynch makes the Raiders one of the best teams in the AFC, but at 31-year-old, will he have enough in the tank to make a difference?
In the NFL, teams usually avoid going after running backs once they turn 30 because that is usually when their skills start to noticeably decline. In some instances, like the New Orleans Saints and Adrian Peterson, the aging running back splits carries with another back to keep them fresh for the grind of a 16 game schedule.
In Lynch’s case, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t have a significant impact with the Raiders despite the workload he has endured in the league.
In his final season before announcing his retirement, a 29-year-old Lynch only played in seven games because of an injury. Last season, he didn’t play a down since he wasn’t on a roster so his body hasn’t taken a lot of punishment in almost two years.
With that much time off, Lynch should be fresh and ready to go. He will likely need a few weeks to get into football shape, and when he does, expect to see the same Beast Mode NFL fans have gotten used to seeing on the field.
If Lynch stays healthy for the season, and quarterback Derek Carr doesn’t have any lingering side effects from his season ending injury, don’t be surprised to see the Silver and Black back in the Super Bowl.