Quotables: Marshawn Lynch to hold out of training camp
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch will hold out of training camp for a new contract, while Justin Houston of the Kansas City Chiefs showed up despite being unhappy with his own deal.
Former Seattle Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson broke the news on Thursday that Marshawn Lynch would be holding out from the team’s training camp come Friday. Lynch is after a new contract, given that he’s only got two years remaining on his current deal and none of the money remaining is guaranteed. He’s scheduled to earn $5 million in base salary in 2014 and $5.5 million in 2015.
At 28 years old and with more than 300 carries in each of the last two seasons, many will wonder how long he can keep it up. That’s got to be the chief concern for the Seahawks, who will be hesitant to give him a bigger deal. Lynch is already paid among the top backs in the league, but he put in work for the Seahawks last season. As the centerpiece to the offense, Lynch helped Seattle win the Super Bowl. It’s not surprising he wants some more money.
“I’m not worrying about that contract. When it’s time for that to happen, it’s going to happen.”
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston showed up to training camp on Thursday, despite being unhappy with his contract. Houston is in the final year of a rookie contract, and is set to make just $1.431 million in base salary in 2014. That's a healthy sum for us bloggers, but Houston managed 11 sacks in 11 games last season, and has 26.5 sacks in three seasons with the Chiefs.
In other words, he’s right to be upset about his contract at this point. But he’s at camp, which is always a way to earn some goodwill with the team. But Houston was not keen on talking about his contract status, saying that he’s “not worrying about” it at this point. In fact, he said that several times, and in many different ways, as noted by the folks at Arrowhead Pride.
“It’s like it’s your own birthday. It’s a family reunion. It’s like a rebirth, feel like you come out of the womb and are reborn into football.”
-Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers head coach
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh barely tolerates the media on most days, but on some occasions, he feels particularly talkative. Sometimes he can even be described as ... poetic. Thursday was one such day, and he used this occasion to also dodge a question related to right guard Alex Boone, who is holding out for a new contract.
When asked about Vernon Davis being present at camp, Harbaugh said that it "added to the excitement," and went on to talk about how the first day of training camp is like "your own birthday," a "family reunion," and a "rebirth," as noted by the San Jose Mercury News. He used the word "womb" a lot and when asked about Boone, he dodged the question and continued to talk about wombs and such. When asked a second time about Boone, he said "Again, I'm relentlessly positive right now." So yeah.
"We want [Justin Blackmon] to get help he needs."
-Shad Khan, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan says the team has no plans to release wide receiver Justin Blackmon, who was arrested for marijuana possession on Wednesday night. Khan said that the Jaguars want Blackmon “to get help he needs,” according to John Oehser of the team website.
This is the third arrest for Blackmon, and was suspended twice in 2013 for two violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He played in just four games last season, and is currently serving a yearlong suspension for his past transgressions. Many have suggested the Jaguars release Blackmon at this point, but it’s clear he’s left the “made a stupid mistake” territory and has entered the “clearly needs some help” territory.
“I’m in the best shape I’ve been in, coming into a camp. And my mind is probably in the best spot it’s been in.”
-Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith was at training camp on Thursday. Smith is still waiting to hear whether or not he’s going to face a suspension in connection with multiple off-the-field issues over the past two offseasons. The biggest incident was a DUI last year, for which he was sentenced to 12 days on a work crew last week. He can begin serving that time on Mondays, beginning next week.
Now that he’s been sentenced, the NFL is expected to hand down its punishment, if there is any. Last season, Smith checked himself into rehab and missed five games without the NFL’s intervention. That is expected to reduce whatever punishment the NFL would hand down. For now, Smith is at training camp and says he’s been sober since the stint in rehab, and feels he’s “in the best shape I’ve been in, coming into a camp,” according to Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.
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