How important is it that Marshawn Lynch dominate in Oakland like he did for years in Seattle? Turns out that while Lynch coming out of retirement to join his hometown Raiders was a fun offseason storyline, the reality is that the already high-powered Raiders offense doesn't need Lynch to be spectacular.

Consider these top-five offenses in recent seasons, via Football Outsiders' metrics:

YearTeamOffensePass ORush O
2016Patriots2nd2nd15th
2015Cardinals4th3rd16th
2015Patriots5th4th12th
2014Steelers2nd1st12th
2013Chargers2nd2nd12th
2013Saints5th3rd19th
2012Broncos2nd2nd15th
2012Packers3rd3rd13th

Notice anything? 

Many top-ranked offenses are top-ranked because of their passing games, not because of their running games. In fact, in the last five seasons only one top-five offense has a passing attack ranked outside the top nine: the 2014 Seahawks (pass offense was 10th, run offense was first), who finished 12-4 and lost in the Super Bowl to the Patriots because, incidentally, they went away from what they did best.

But Seattle is the exception. The teams in the table above won four division titles and went a combined 62- 18 in the regular season and 5-4 in the postseason, including one Lombardi Trophy.

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Fun fact: The 2016 Raiders, whose season was derailed the moment franchise quarterback Derek Carr broke his leg in Week 16, finished with a 12-4 record and the NFL's eighth-ranked offense. Specifically, the passing game was No. 4 while the running game was 16th. Oakland finished with a 12-4 record, their best mark since 2002, which also was the last time they had a winning season and qualified for the playoffs.

It's why the Raiders spent the offseason adding ancillary pieces to that dominant offense -- Lynch, tight end Jared Cook -- but mainly focused on improving a defense that was its Achilles heel a season ago. The unit ranked 22nd and really struggled against the pass. It's why Oakland dumped former first-round pick cornerback D.J. Hayden and used its first three picks in the 2017 draft on cornerback Gareon Conley, safety Obi Melifonwu and defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes.

The big offseason offensive move? Locking up Carr with a five-year, $125 million deal, rightfully making him the league's highest paid player in terms of average annual salary.

He'll have the luxury of throwing to Michael Crabtree, who rediscovered his game in Oakland; Amari Cooper, one of the NFL's most dynamic young playmakers; and offseason signees Cordarrelle Patterson and Cook. Oh, and then there's the offensive line, which allowed a league-best 18 sacks last season.

Meanwhile, the expectations for Lynch aren't quite as lofty, and that's OK. 

"When I think of Marshawn, I think of passion because he's a very passionate player," coach Jack Del Rio said during the second week of training camp. "I think of toughness and physicality. I think he brings those things to our football team. He's been a terrific teammate, been great from Day 1. Everything has been really outstanding with him and him joining us and fitting in with our guys. I think they love him. We love having him, so it's great. He's healthy and in good shape and ready to have a good year for us."

Lynch, 31, rushed for at least 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns each season from 2011-14. During that span he was also a top-five back playing in a Seahawks offense built around the running game. But after playing just nine games in 2015 and missing all of the 2016 season after retiring, the Raiders aren't looking for the back that caused earthquakes in Seattle -- and that's a good thing.

Because, to paraphrase Rick Pitino, that running back ain't walking through the door. Save the special case, productivity falls off a cliff for running backs after they hit 30. It's a big reason it's among the most fungible positions in football; teams can find comparable -- or better -- production from younger, cheaper players. It's why you don't see high-priced running backs in their 30s littering NFL rosters while the Tom Bradys of the world can still be at the top of their game as a soon-to-be 40-year-old.

(Lynch signed a two-year, $9 million deal with the Raiders, which is good for 12th in the NFL in terms of annual average salary. That's just behind Latavius Murray, the Raiders' running back last season who wasn't re-signed this spring.)

So here's what we should expect from a 31-year-old who spent last season away from the game.

"He's going to run through some people's faces, I think that's what he's going to do," Carr explained during training camp. "He's going to protect the quarterback. ... He's good at that. Very physical. That part of the game is fun to him. I tend to like to slide or go over people, and he likes to go through them, so I don't have to do it."

That doesn't sound like the Beast Mode we've come to know and love, dragging defenders down the field with him -- though you wouldn't know it by this run during OTAs:

And while no one would be surprised if we saw glimpses of what Lynch used to do on a weekly basis, part of the reason he wanted to play for the Raiders is because he's from Oakland and the team is leaving for Las Vegas in 2020, when he'll be 34.

"Just to play in Oakland is a dream come true," Lynch told reporters in May. "It's always been something, being from Oakland, you want to play at home or have that opportunity. Them staying, it probably wouldn't have been so big for me to want to come and play. But knowing that they were leaving and a lot of the kids here won't have the opportunity to see most of their idols growing up be in their hometown anymore, me being from here, them continuing to be here, it gives them an opportunity to see somebody who actually did it from where they're from."

It's a good story, and one that will be fun to follow this season, but Lynch won't be the reason the Raiders succeed or fail in 2017. DeAndre Washington, the 2016 fifth-round pick who had 87 carries for 467 yards (5.4 YPC) as a rookie, has taken the majority of snaps early in training camp. A with a running back-by-committee as the likely approach, the onus will fall on Carr, the receivers, the offensive line and a young, explosive, improving defense led by 2016 Defensive Player of the Year and legit NFL MVP candidate Khalil Mack. 

Effectively, Lynch is just here so he won't get fined.

"Authentic passion is what I see," Del Rio said of Lynch in May. "He is a homegrown guy. He's extremely excited about joining this football team, being part of the Raider Nation, and we're excited to have him. You know, there are going to be questions about how much is left in his tank and we're going to find out [but] I don't know that I've ever seen anybody else be more excited and more pleased to be joining a team."

We'll all find out together in the coming months.