Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie says he’s all in on “Beast Mode.”
McKenzie, speaking at the annual NFL meetings in Florida, told reporters the team is excited by what it saw of running back Marshawn Lynch over the second half of the 2017 season and is eager to give him the ball as much as possible in 2018 to set the tone for a physical, pounding offensive attack behind a strong offensive line.
McKenzie says both Lynch and the team wanted to continue their relationship with one another in the second year of Lynch’s two-year deal with the franchise. There had been rumors the Raiders – especially under new head coach Jon Gruden – may not want Lynch. That wasn’t the case.
When asked by the media Monday what it means that Lynch is eager to play in 2018, McKenzie said, “No. 1, it means that he really wants to be here and be a part of this. And I think it means a lot to that locker room and the offense, mainly, that we have full intentions on being a physical offensive football team under Jon Gruden. That’s what it means, No. 1.”
After taking a year away from the NFL, it took some time for Lynch to get back into football shape. Once he did, he looked formidable. Over the final eight games of 2017, Lynch averaged 4.6 yards per rush and had 625 yards and five touchdowns. He forced 50 missed tackles in 2017, the sixth-best mark of any running back in the league.
Lynch will be part of a foursome of backs the team has going into its offseason program, along with free-agent pick-up Doug Martin and holdovers Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington.
