Report: Raiders could ‘close the door’ on Marshawn Lynch after draft

By now it is fairly well known that Marshawn Lynch is interested in playing football next season, and his hometown Oakland Raiders seem like the perfect fit. But if the two sides can’t come to some sort of agreement in the very near future, Lynch may end up staying retired.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media said Tuesday morning that the NFL Draft, which begins on April 27, is likely the deadline for Lynch and the Raiders to reach a deal.

“Right now, there’s no agreement between Marshawn Lynch and the Oakland Raiders, and the real deadline here — they hoped to have it done by (Monday) when offseason conditioning started, didn’t happen — the real deadline here is the draft,” Rapoport said. “Because it is possible that the Raiders get on the clock Thursday night or Friday, and say ‘Alright, we’re going to take this running back. He has a value here for us. We’re just going to take the leap.’ And once they take a running back, it probably will close the door on Marshawn Lynch.”

The Seattle Seahawks still own Lynch’s rights, but all indications have been that they are willing to trade him to Oakland, likely for a low-round draft pick. However, the Raiders are not interested in acquiring Lynch unless he agrees to a restructured contract.

You never know what information is being planted, and it’s possible the Raiders are trying to get Lynch to feel a sense of urgency. But as NFL Network’s Kevin Patra notes, Lynch’s leverage would only increase if the Raiders are unable to find a viable running back option in the draft.

We know one member of the Raiders who has openly said he wants Lynch to join the team, and it’s a safe bet that everyone in the locker room feels that way. The business side still has to work itself out, though.