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Will Lynch return to Seattle in '15?

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As the Seattle Seahawks aim to reach the playoffs in 2014 with the hopes of defending their Super Bowl title, few players will be as critical to their success as running back Marshawn Lynch. And yet, much of the recent conversation surrounding Lynch has been about what he has not been saying, specifically to the media (his most recent news conference following the team's Week 12 win consisted of 22 questions answered with 50 words in total among Lynch's responses). Colleague Chris Mortensen reported about a month ago that the Seahawks had grown tired of Lynch's ways, part of the reason the veteran back is unlikely to be back with the team in 2015 despite the fact that his contract runs through next season.

Ultimately the behavior component to Seattle's thinking cannot be ignored, but Seahawks fans will also point to the consistent production and Lynch's strong standing among teammates. It creates a situation with plenty of layers. It also makes pondering Lynch's future in Seattle from a strictly football point of view a worthwhile conversation.

The evaluation of Lynch

The starting point in this conversation is what Lynch is as a player. At 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, Lynch is sturdily built, with a lower half resembling a pair of tree trunks. He hits the hole with an aggression and force that rarely leads to him going down on first contact, but he's not simply a power plunger. Lynch has enough elusiveness to make defenders miss in the open field, though he lacks the top-end speed to consistently hit home run plays for long distance. He has very good foot quickness and also is an underrated pass-catcher.

Lynch has never lost more than three fumbles in a season and has seven seasons (2014 included) with one or zero lost fumbles.

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