Oakland Raiders: Marshawn Lynch on injured reserve, likely done for the year
The Oakland Raiders placed running back Marshawn Lynch on injured reserve. Is it the last of Beast Mode wearing Silver and Black?
The Oakland Raiders officially placed Marshawn Lynch on injured reserve because of a groin injury Monday. He’s eligible to return after eight weeks, marking Dec. 24 as a potential return date. As The Athletic’s Vic Tafur stated on Twitter, we may have seen the last of Lynch in a Raiders jersey:
At 1-5, the Raiders are headed toward a top spot in the 2019 draft with their own selection. By Week 16, Lynch wouldn’t have a reason to play other than one final showing on Christmas Eve in front of a home crowd at the Oakland Coliseum.
As an Oakland native, Lynch came out of retirement to play for the Raiders. The Silver and Black’s imminent move to Las Vegas encouraged him to put his cleats back on and run hard for another two years at least, contractually:
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/872468681904734209
Lynch also brought his Beast Mode mentality back on the field, running through defenders. Through six games, he avoided 23 total tackles, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Between his return in 2017 and Week 7 of the current year, he ranks 12th in rushing yards with 1,267 — not bad for a 32-year old ball-carrier who took a season off.
Despite his contributions on the field, the Raiders couldn’t mirror their offensive success from the 2016 campaign. In 2017, Oakland ranked 23rd in scoring and currently list 28th.
If we saw the last of Lynch, a five-yard carry up the middle against the Seattle Seahawks in London will go down as his last run. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. It’s unlikely that head coach Jon Gruden will re-sign him going into an age-33 term amid a complete rebuild.
Lynch’s run style remains unique—physical, uncanny power behind the pads and his legs constantly pushing through contact. Even though the Raiders couldn’t find success with him in the backfield, his production stood out as a lone bright spot late in the last term and early this year.
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In Beast Mode’s best 2018 performance, he logged 130 rushing yards on 20 carries en route to a 45-42 overtime win over the Cleveland Browns during Week 4.
Lynch’s move to injured reserve, a week later than initially possible, comes on the same day as a trade that sent wideout Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a first-round selection, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Although Raiders brass will deny the notion, it’s a lost season for the franchise.