Although Marshawn Lynch is technically retired, it isn’t stopping the Oakland Raiders from trying to acquire the All-Pro running back.
According to a report from ESPN, there is confidence in the Raiders organization that they could lure Marshawn Lynch out of retirement to play for the Raiders and the team is strongly considering making the necessary move to acquire Lynch.
While the Seattle Seahawks could ultimately release Lynch, they could also trade his rights to the Raiders in what would be a historic trade that the NFL and fans have never seen before in it’s history.
A trade for a retired running back.
“It could really happen,” one source familiar with the situation said last week.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter pointed to the allure of Lynch playing for his hometown team (Raiders) as one of reasons Lynch would consider coming out of retirement. The report indicated that Lynch also must decide whether to resume his NFL career, an idea he has considered per their sources.
Oakland just lost free agent running back Latavious Murray who opted to sign with the Minnesota Vikings. Oakland also remains in the hunt for Adrian Peterson, who has stated he likes the team’s playoff potential.
It’s likely that the Raiders are exploring all options in the running back market and this could be smokescreen to drive down Peterson’s asking price.
Again, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Lynch could step out of retirement to join the Oakland Raiders for what would be one giant swing at a Super Bowl title. If anything, it could lineup a potential showdown with the New England Patriots in what potentially could be the AFC Championship game.
And who wouldn’t want to see that matchup?