New reports say Marshawn Lynch has not requested to be released by Seahawks, but it may not matter

There are conflicting reports right with regard to at least one report that was out there about Marshawn Lynch. The initial report was that Lynch has requested a release from the Seahawks. Today Seattle News Tribune beat writer, Gregg Bell said that report is false. And his report was corroborated by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

While Lynch was in Seattle and did stop by and speak with Seahawks brass about potentially coming out of retirement, he did not specifically ask to be released.

What is interesting in the Garafolo report is the assertion that the Seahawks would not be willing to release him should he return, but rather would be willing to entertain the idea of a trade “for the right price.” Whatever that may be.

Attempting to trade Lynch would be considerably difficult considering he is now approaching 31 years old and is due $9 million for the final year of a 2-year extension he signed prior to the 2015 season. Even if “the right price” were a conditional 7th round pick, any interested team would also be paying that salary, and that just seems unlikely.

Other teams know the Seahawks won’t want to saddle that salary, taking away any leverage they have for a trade. It would barely even be possible because they currently have just $14.7 million available under the salary cap according to Overthecap.com figures. And that’ not factoring in the rookie pool.

It’s also interesting timing for this to come up, considering the Seahawks just signed Eddie Lacy as a free agent, which would make for a crowded backfield should Lynch return. Could it be Lynch waiting until now to make his intentions known because he knows the Seahawks only option would be to release him?

That’s certainly possible, especially for a guy who sounds like he is only really interested in coming back to football if it’s to play for his hometown Raiders. Where he went played his high school ball, college ball, and where his brand BeastMode is based.

Lynch is said to have kept himself in shape in preparation for a possible comeback. Until he says the word, all we can do is wait and wonder how all this will play out. But it’s hard to imagine should he play this season it would be in any other uniform Silver & Black.