RADIO
We always hear about the dreaded 30-year old mark for running backs. You know, the age where running backs historically break down health-wise and/or begin to lose their burst, speed, and everything else that made them so great for so long.
Well, it appears that Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch may have reached that mark a year early, opening the door for Seattle to turn to one of the best young running backs in the NFL.
Marshawn Lynch was inactive for Seattle's 29-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers as a result of what the team called an abdomen injury. Sunday marked the third time this season that the 29-year-old running back has missed a game as a result of an injury, a surprising number for Lynch, who had only missed one game in the four seasons prior to this one.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Lynch will meet with a specialist to determine how serious the injury is. The belief is that the injury may be a sports hernia, which would need surgery, and may spell the end of Beast Mode's regular season.
As a result of Lynch's absence, Seattle gave rookie running back Thomas Rawls the start at running back. The Seahawks leaned on Rawls heavily, giving him 30 carries, which Rawls turned into a huge 209 yards and one touchdown performance. Rawls displayed quickness and burst throughout the game, cutting through San Francisco's defense with little issue.
The rookie running back's performance, paired with Lynch's injuries, creates a perfect storm for Seattle to move on from Beast Mode. Despite his stellar play and a Super Bowl win, the pairing of the Seahawks and Lynch has been far from a happy marriage.
Lynch is due to make $9 million next year, while Rawls on the other hand, is due to make just $525,000. Pair that with the fact that Seattle has to pay a monster contract to Russell Wilson and big money to other players such as Richard Sherman, it almost makes the move to cut him prior to the start of next season a no brainer. This may be the last year of Beast Mode in Seattle.
