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Seattle Seahawks Ready To Move On Without Marshawn Lynch

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By @86ThePoet

RB Marshawn Lynch

Joe Camporeale – USA Today Sports

Marshawn Lynch arrived at minicamp for the Seattle Seahawks after a week of drama and speculation. The word was he would hold out for more money, was feeling under-appreciated and was even considering retirement. After Seattle rode him to a Super Bowl victory, being the fifth-highest paid running back in the league was perhaps not enough for Lynch.

Yet there he was on Tuesday, present but not practicing because of a mild ankle tweak. He needed to be there, because the Seahawks are fully ready to move on without him.

Last year’s first draft pick Christine Michael looked strong and fast in the OTAs. He and Robert Turbin are both 5-foot-10 and 220-pound Beast Mode clones. Seattle without Lynch would still be strong at halfback.

Pete Carroll has used a run-heavy attack to ease the stress on Russell Wilson as he developed, but Wilson is no longer green. He is surrounded by talented receivers like Percy Harvin, Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Sidney Rice, Zach Miller and Luke Willson. Carroll can remove Wilson’s leash and allow him to be a gunslinger rather than a game manager.

Place Lynch’s career next to former Seattle star Shaun Alexander. Lynch has 1753 career carries and five 1000-yard seasons. Alexander has 2187 carries and also five 1000-yard seasons. Lynch has been in the league eight years. After Alexander’s eighth season with Seattle he was released, went to the Washington Redskins and carried the ball only eleven more times.

Lynch is 28 years old and runs violently. As a Seattle fan, I hope he runs through walls forever wearing blue and green. As a pragmatic business man, I wouldn’t count on more than one or two good years from Lynch. Seattle feels the same way and are prepared with Michael and Turbin.

Yet before you think I’m dumping the guy, let’s remember the intangibles. Carroll says Lynch “closes the circle of toughness”. When you see a teammate work as hard as he does and play with that much relentlessness, you’re inspired to do the same. Other backs are content to be pushed out of bounds. Lynch fights the sideline like it’s made of hot lava. You want him out of bounds? Better bring all eleven defenders.

I also believe a ton has been made about very little regarding the Lynch holdout rumor. He doesn’t talk to the press, so what do we know about his intentions? Writers need to write something.

I’ll finish with the memory of Deion Sanders snatching a rare interview from Beast Mode. Lynch delivered a quote that has become my motto:

“I’m just about that action, boss.”

Eighty Six is a Seattle Seahawks writer for www.RantSports.com.  Follow him on Twitter @86ThePoet, “like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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