The Oakland Raiders were relatively quiet as the NFL free agency period got underway earlier this week. Jon Gruden and company weren't rumored to make any significant moves outside of potentially parting ways with some veteran players with Marshawn Lynch being one of the notable names on the hot seat in Oakland.
On Thursday, the Raiders made a surprising move to sign veteran running back Doug Martin formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This move led to speculation that Lynch may have played his last snap in silver and black, but that might not be the case, according to NFL Network's Michael Silver via Pro Football Talk.
It was natural to wonder about Marshawn Lynch‘s future in Oakland after Doug Martin agreed to terms today, but according to Michael Silver of the NFL Network, the addition doesn’t mean they’re subtracting Lynch.
In his first season in Oakland, Lynch came only 109 yards shy of cracking 1,000 rushing yards while also adding seven touchdowns. Although Lynch had a slow start to his stint with the Raiders, he finished strong and started to resemble his dominant form of old.
Despite Lynch appearing to have something left in the tank, Gruden dealing with all his antics on and off the field became the biggest question mark once he became Jack Del Rio's successor in Oakland. Since taking the job, Gruden has had high praise for Lynch and has said he wants to coach him, but whether he ultimately sticks to that stance remains to be seen.
As for Martin, the two-time Pro Bowler will be looking to prove he can still play at a high level. Martin is an Oakland native like Lynch and should be motivated to turn things around back in his hometown. Only time will tell if he can return to form after a disappointing end to his stint in Tampa Bay.
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