The Seattle Seahawks still don't know whether or not running back Marshawn Lynch is retiring or returning to the team for next season.
The only thing they know is that if he does return, it won't be at the salary he's currently slated to make.
Seahawks GM John Schneider appeared on an episode of the "Brock and Salk" show on Seattle's ESPN 710 and discussed both the enigmatic running back's NFL future and the contract plan for quarterback Russell Wilson.
Schneider admitted, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times that a decision from Lynch on whether or not he'll continue to play "may not happen overnight," but the hope is that a decision will come sooner rather than later.
"Regarding Marshawn, obviously we think he's a hell of a player, we want him back," Schneider said. "He knows that. His representatives know that. He knows that if he's back he's not going to be playing at the same number he was scheduled to make, so he's a guy, he's a hearbeat guy, that we'd love to have back."
It was reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com prior to the Super Bowl that the team had offered Lynch a "huge" contract extension.
Lynch is slated to make $5 million in base salary next season, according to Pro Football Talk, plus $2 million in per-game roster bonuses and a maximum of $500,000 of rushing yards incentives.
Schneider also hinted that Wilson, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, may be willing to take a more team-friendly deal.
"I've talked to his agent now, much like several of our unrestricted free agents and he knows, he gets it, he wants to win, he wants to win for a long time," Schneider said. "I'm not going to get into specifics of contract negotiations or anything like that other than to say that we're going to do what's best for this organization moving forward first and foremost."
Wilson won't be going anywhere and will unquestionably sign a new deal, but Lynch's time in Seattle and as an NFL player may very well have come to an end.
