Seahawks Re-Sign Marshawn Lynch: The Packers Could Have Traded For Him In 2010

Seahawks Have Signed Marshawn Lynch To A Multi-Year Deal - Field Gulls. When the Buffalo Bills made it known that RB Marshawn Lynch was available in 2010, there was a lot of speculation that the Green Bay Packers would trade for him.

Back in 2007, the Packers considered selecting Lynch with their 1st round draft pick. RB Ahman Green had just left in free agency, and it wasn't certain who would replace him. But Lynch was off the board by the time the Packers were on the clock, so they went a different direction. They selected Brandon Jackson in the second round and traded for Ryan Grant in September 2007. So when Grant was lost for the season, trading for Lynch made a lot of sense because the Packers had thought highly of him in 2007 and they needed a running back in 2010.

However, no one in the Packers organization may have been a bigger supporter of Lynch than current Seahawks GM John Schneider. With his departure to Seattle, maybe the front office personnel who remained weren't as enamored with him.

Lynch could have helped the Packers over the past two seasons, but maybe he belonged in Seattle. He's a cornerstone of their franchise, but in Green Bay, he'd be another weapon on the roster. Even if he had two breakout seasons with the Packers, and he was in a position to earn a new multi-year contract with $18 million guaranteed, the Packers would probably not be in a position to pay him it.

Now they're willing to let Scott Wells leave in free agency so they can keep their salary cap in reasonable shape. If they had to deal with Lynch this offseason too, they might have had to decide whether to keep Jermichael Finley and Jordy Nelson instead, while allowing Lynch to sign with another team.

In the end, Lynch might have played 1+ seasons for the Packers, and wouldn't have received as much money in free agency. And the Packers offense has been outstanding over that time even without Lynch. Maybe it's better for both sides that the Packers never made a trade in 2010.