Report: Marshawn Lynch to receive roster bonus, pair up with Doug Martin in Raiders backfield

Staff writer

Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 10:58 PM

The Oakland Raiders signed free-agent running back Doug Martin on Thursday, raising speculation about the team’s plans to retain Marshawn Lynch.

Beast Mode fans in Oakland can rest easy with NFL Network reporting that the Raiders are paying Lynch’s $1 million roster bonus, signaling the return of the hometown favorite.

Marshawn Lynch will remain a member of the #Raiders. Sources say he is receiving his $1M roster bonus on March 18, a clear sign he’ll be their feature back… if there was any question.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2018

Lynch, 31, came out of retirement last season to have a productive season with the Raiders, logging 891 yards and seven touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry.

An Oakland native who played at nearby Cal in college, Lynch seemed unlikely to play for a team other than the Raiders. Now he’ll pair up with Martin in head coach Jon Gruden’s backfield as the Raiders wind down their time in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas.

Gruden has spoken highly of Lynch and signaled that he intends to focus on the running game next season.

Lynch’s $5.9 million payday for 2018 suggests that he will remain the top option in Oakland’s backfield.