Is Beast Mode ready to return in Seattle?
Lynch was at the Seahawks' practice facility on Monday, coach Pete Carroll told reporters. Lynch has been working on a core muscle issue off site in San Francisco for the past month. He received surgery on Nov. 25 and has been largely underground ever since.
There was an expectation for Lynch to return around the Week 17 finale against the Cardinals, but that did not materialize. Now, he has six days to prepare for a matchup against the Vikings in the playoffs.
Per NFL Media Insider Rapoport, the only way Lynch would return to the Seahawks was if he was fully healthy. So Monday's development should mean that he's ready to roll.
Now, the onus falls on offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to work Lynch back into the offense -- something Bevell struggled to do this season early on.
Since Nov. 22, the Seahawks have gone from 5-5 to 10-6 thanks largely to an explosion in the passing game and a cadre of speedy running backs. Christine Michael, a former Seahawks running back who made his way back in the wake of the Lynch injury, had 102 rushing yards against an excellent Cardinals defense on Sunday.
While Lynch is obviously the best of the bunch when healthy, his power game might be reminiscent of a Seahawks team that is no longer in fashion. In 2015, we saw Russell Wilson launch a career high 36 touchdown passes. Wideout Doug Baldwin had incredible numbers for a non-Pro Bowler, hauling in career highs in catches (78) yards (1,069) and touchdowns (14).
