Marshawn Lynch is going to be a Raider. The powerful running back and Oakland native reportedly agreed to terms on a new contract with the Silver and Black and will come out of retirement to play for his hometown team.
NFL Network's Mike Silver was first to report the news early Friday afternoon. Terms of Lynch's contract were not immediately known.
That was a requirement before acquiring his rights from Seattle in trade. A trade has not happened yet, but it will.
The Seahawks retained them after Lynch retired following an injury-riddled 2015 season, and recently gave the Raiders permission to work out a new deal. Lynch had two years left on a big-money extension neither the Seahawks nor Raiders was willing to pay now and this new deal paves the way to join his hometown team.
Compensating the Seahawks is next up on the Raiders' agenda.
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Seahawks general manager John Schneider and Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie are friends dating back to their time working in Green Bay, and Schneider told ESPN Radio 710 in Seattle that trade talks would go smooth.
The Raiders needed a big-bodied bruiser to accent smaller backs Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington, and the soon-to-be 31 year old certainly fills that void.
Lynch rushed for 9,112 yards and 74 touchdowns in nine seasons, with 1,979 more yards and nine touchdowns as a receiver. He's known for a powerful, yet elusive rushing style that will fits well with what the Raiders do.
Lynch exceeded 1,200 yards in four straight seasons from 2011-14, and was borderline unstoppable at the end of that run. He had 1,306 yards and an NFL-best 13 touchdowns in 2014, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
His production dipped in 2015, a season limited by an abdominal injury that required surgery. He averaged just 3.8 yards per carry on 111 rushes in seven games.
Lynch announced his retirement in a tweet shortly after Super Bowl 50, posting a picture of shoes hanging on a telephone wire.
He travelled the world, guest-starred on television shows, expanded his Beast Mode clothing line and remained active in the Oakland community. Grumblings about a possible return started a few weeks back, when he started exploring the prospect of a return.
He only wanted to play for the Raiders, and eventually got his wish. The Seahawks didn't stand in Lynch's way – they signed Eddie Lacy this offseason – and granted Lynch permission to meet Raiders brass in Alameda on April 5 and allowed his agents to work out a new deal.
Real progress was made on Thursday. Lynch posted a cryptic tweet that evening saying, ‘I'm thankful!!!! Yes Lawd!!!!" It led many, including former teammates to assume Lynch's return was imminent.
A deal became official the following day, leading Oakland Raiders fans to rejoice a few weeks after the team was approved for relocation to Las Vegas. Lynch is one of Oakland's most popular figure, and he'll give local supporters and reason to cheer while the team plays in the East Bay until their Las Vegas stadium is complete in 2020.
