The Seattle Seahawks, preparing to face off against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX, are already looking to lockup another member of their dominant team core.
Running back Marshawn Lynch – known affectionately as, "Beast Mode" – has been offered a "huge" contract extension by the Seahawks that would "keep him in a Seahawks uniform for years to come," according to a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
"The deal is believed to include more than $10 million for Lynch in the 2015 season alone. Lynch currently is slated to make $5 million in 2015, the final year of what originally was a four-year, $31 million deal," writes Rapoport.
Sources tell Rapoport that head coach Pete Carroll and the Seahawks brass believe that Lynch has outplayed his current deal and thus want to reward him.
"As for his compensation, Lynch could end up being the highest-paid running back not named Adrian Peterson using average-per-year as a measure."
There was concern that Lynch's decision to hold out of training camp prior to last season combined with reports of a potentially chilly relationship between he and the Seahawks coaches could push Lynch to find his way out of Seattle.
There was even talk that he could retire after this season if he and team are able to win their second Super Bowl in a row.
Now, that could all be changing as the Seahawks have reportedly upped their contract extension offer to Lynch significantly.
The 28 year old Lynch, recognized by many within the Seattle locker room as the heart and soul of the Seahawks team, had 1,306 yards rushing in the regular season - his fourth straight 1,000-yard rushing season and sixth of his nine-year career.
The former first-round draft pick out of California has 216 yards rushing on 39 attempts thus far in the postseason, for a 5.5 yards per carry average.
