NFL Free Agents Rumors: Seattle Seahawks Want Marshawn Lynch, Russell Wilson Back for 2015 NFL Season
Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said that they want running back Marshawn Lynch to return for another season and also confirmed that they are negotiating a new deal with quarterback Russell Wilson.
Lynch, who is considered by many as the best running back in the league, had one of the best seasons of his career in 2014, when he tallied 1,306 rushing yards with 13 touchdowns, which makes Schneider believe that the 28-year-old remains a vital part of their team moving forward.
"We want to have him back. He knows that, and his representatives know that," Schneider said in an interview with ESPN Seattle radio. "He knows if he comes back he's not going to be playing at the same number he's scheduled to make."
Lynch still has one year left in his four-year deal and will get $7 million in the 2015 NFL season. However, Schneider hinted that the star running back is mulling retirement, saying that they are unsure if Lynch still wants to play for another season in the league.
"Whether or not he wants to play next year, I can't answer that," Schneider said. "I don't know if he knows at this juncture. He needs to find out where he's at. Especially with the way this guy runs the ball, it's taxing on his body. So he has to reset himself and get in that mind frame and get prepared for another season of this."
Talks about Lynch's impending retirement began when he showed signs that he is getting tired of all the things related to being a high-profile player, as seen when he decided to become unfriendly with reporters in interviews and even at the Super Bowl XLIX media day.
But while the Seahawks are unsure about what to expect from Lynch this offseason, Schneider made it clear that the team is determined to keep Wilson in Seattle.
Wilson will play in the final year of his rookie contract next season and is scheduled to earn just $837,000. Sources indicated that once a new deal is agreed upon, the 26-year-old will likely receive at least $20 million per season in the next five years.
Schneider said that they want to make Wilson one of the highest-paid players in the league, but they will also consider several factors before agreeing to a deal because they want to remain competitive in years to come.
"We are going to do what's best for the organization," Schneider said. "That's the No. 1 thing. I think Russell Wilson wants to win championships. Russell knows there are certain dominoes that have to fall in place. He knows it. He gets it. He wants to win for a long time."
Wilson completed 63.1 percent of his passes for a career-high 3,475 yards with 20 touchdowns in the regular season. In the playoffs, Wilson completed 41 of his 72 passes for 724 yards with six touchdowns, but had five interceptions, including the turnover that cost them their second-straight Super Bowl title.
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