Although the Raiders definitely seem to be interested in bringing Marshawn Lynch to Oakland for the upcoming NFL season, it’s not going to be that easy, and that’s because the Seahawks hold all the cards when it comes to making any potential deal. 

If Lynch decides to come out of retirement, he’ll instantly become a member of the Seahawks’ roster since Seattle owns his NFL rights. At that point, the only way Lynch could sign with the Raiders would be if the Seahawks released him, and as of right now, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. 

According to NFL.com, the Seahawks have no interest in cutting Lynch, but they would be willing to trade him “for the right price.”

Basically, if the Raiders want Beast Mode on their roster, they’re going to have to pay up to get him. 

On one hand, that’s good news for the Raiders because they know Seattle is at least open to a deal. On the other hand, this is bad news for the Raiders because the Seahawks’ asking price could be too high. In poker parlance, the Raiders just tipped their hand to the Seahawks, and now Seattle is in full control of the table. 

If the Seahawks are only willing to part with Lynch through a trade, that creates a couple other obstacles for the Raiders, which we touched on earlier in a story that you can check out by clicking here. Basically, they’d have to convince Lynch to restructure his contract, and they’d also have to be willing to give up draft picks to Seattle in a trade, which might not be a great deal for Oakland when you’re talking about trading for a 30-year-old running back. 

Of course, none of this matter unless Lynch actually comes out of retirement. 

Lynch was actually in Seattle on Thursday, where he met with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider. According to NFL.com, Lynch didn’t ask for his release, but he did “touch on the possibility” that he might come out of retirement. 

If you’re a Raiders fan, don’t get too excited, yet. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported on Friday that there’s been trade talks this offseason between the two teams. Obviously, that could change if/when Lynch comes out of retirement. 

If Lynch does end up in Oakland, it looks like at least one player is ready to treat him like a rookie. Punter Marquette King says he expects Beast Mode to carry his pads after practice.