Marshawn Lynch will continue to be Seattle's bell cow

On the subject of Marshawn Lynch's workload...

"We could be running-back-by-committee," Seahawks RB coach Sherman Smith said. "But who does it hurt? It hurts us because we're watering down Marshawn's reps so we can get other backs in there."

"To me, there's a drop off," Smith said. "You take Marshawn out of the game, there's a drop off to the next guy. So why would we do that?"

That rhetorical question isn't meant as a dig at Robert Turbin and Christine Michael. On the contrary, it's shoveling praise on Lynch, who Smith labels "a special athlete."

Lynch has finished in the top 5 for three straight seasons and seems as safe of a pick as anyone in the first round. There is one concern heading into 2014 — Lynch’s DUI trial (from his 2012 arrest) is set to start in February and depending on the outcome, Lynch could be serving some sort of suspension when the season opens. He’s under contract for two more seasons, so the Seahawks will likely ride him hard before handing the keys over to scout-favorite Christine Michael or backup Robert Turbin. Also, Lynch has 1,955 career touches, so he’s no spring chicken.