Oakland Raiders: 6 Players Who Should Become Ex-Raiders This Offseason
By Kevin Saito
Looking to create some buzz, and improve public relations in the East Bay after winning approval to relocate the franchise to Las Vegas, the Raiders pulled native son Marshawn Lynch out of retirement, working a deal with Seattle to get him into a Silver and Black jersey.
And on that part of things, Lynch delivered. He definitely created some big-time buzz and got the fans excited for the season.
On the field, performance-wise, it’s also hard to argue that the Raiders didn’t get what they paid for in Lynch. For the year, Lynch posted 891 yards on 207 carries (a yards per carry average of 4.3), and scored seven touchdowns.
At times, he was electric and showed that he still has a bit left in the tank. Other times, he was a little more – pedestrian.
No matter which way you slice it though, the Raiders got what they needed from Lynch. It’s not his fault that Downing couldn’t figure out how to use him properly to augment the passing game.
Lynch though, also created plenty of headaches and distractions along the way this season. Whether it was him bumping an official and earning a one game suspension or him rushing to the aid of Marcus Peters during a contentious game with Kansas City, some feel that Lynch’s antics have had a detrimental impact on the team this year.
And given that Mark Davis has found a new way to create some buzz and generate headlines, the Raiders should opt to part with Lynch and his $6 million dollar salary in 2018.
With no dead money should they cut Lynch, they can see what they have in intriguing prospect Elijah Hood, or look to the draft for more help in the backfield. Either way, they should thank him for his time and then shed his salary from the books.