Skip to main content

Back at camp, Lynch watches Seahawks practice

By WTOP Staff

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Marshawn Lynch was back on the Seattle Seahawks practice fields Friday morning.

He was once again just a spectator.

Lynch watched the Seahawks go through a one-hour, no-pads practice on Friday a day after showing up at the team’s facility and ending his weeklong training camp holdout in the hopes of getting changes to his contract.

Seattle cut wide receiver Randall Carroll to clear a spot on the 90-man roster and accommodate Lynch’s return.

“Our run game is predicated on Marshawn’s run style and what he does,” Seahawks running backs coach Sherman Smith said. “I’m just glad he’s back.”

Lynch was scheduled to make up to $5.5 million this season in base pay and roster bonuses. It’s the third year of a four-year deal Lynch signed before the 2012 season.

NFL.com and Pro Football Talk reported that Lynch’s holdout did come with some financial gain and that $1 million in incentives for the 2014 season was turned into guaranteed money with an additional $500,000 to be paid in 2015 added to this season. So now, Lynch will make $6.5 million in salary for 2014.

The team has not indicated whether Lynch will still be required to pay the fine for each day of camp he missed. He could be penalized $30,000 for each day he was absent. Lynch didn’t speak to reporters on Friday.

“He’s going to be ready to go,” wide receiver Jermaine Kearse said. “I’m pretty sure he’s already in shape. I’m pretty sure he’s been training hard.”

As much as Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman have become the most well-known players on Seattle’s roster, Lynch has in many ways been the face of the franchise since his arrival via trade during the 2010 season. That was evident on Friday as Lynch’s No. 24 jersey littered the grassy berm as fans watched practice.

Lynch walked out of a side door at the team’s practice facility about 15 minutes into Friday’s practice wearing blue sweats, a snapback hat and a practice jersey. The sold-out crowd cheered.

He spent the next hour chatting with teammates and walked off the field arm-in-arm with Sherman.

Lynch will be eased into camp. He hasn’t had a carry in a Seahawks uniform since a 1-yard carry late in the third quarter of Seattle’s Super Bowl win over Denver. He skipped all of the optional team activities in the spring — as he has at times in the past — but only showed up for the mandatory June minicamp to avoid paying a hefty fine.

“He’ll be ready to practice soon,” Smith said.

Lynch sat out of the minicamp with what coach Pete Carroll said was a sore ankle, but it was apparent then that Lynch wanted changes to his contract situation knowing this could be his last year with the Seahawks.

His age, 28, the amount of pounding Lynch has taken in his career and his salary cap number could lead to a separation between the team and player after this season.

But that’s in the future. For now, Seattle has its full complement of running backs going forward and will get an opportunity in the preseason to see what Robert Turbin and Christine Michael could add to supplement Lynch.

“Marshawn doesn’t do a lot of running in the preseason,” Smith said. “That’s the way it’s going to be. Nothing’s going to change. Absolutely nothing.”

Turbin is the bigger of the two backups and more proven, having held the job as Lynch’s teammate for the past two seasons. Michael was drafted in the second round in 2012 because his mix of speed and power were too unique for Seattle to pass up, but barely saw the field last season as he struggled with the transition between college and the NFL.

Seattle indicated during the offseason a desire to spread out the carries more. That could be important early in the season to help keep Lynch as rested as possible for a closing stretch to the season that includes two games against Arizona, two games against San Francisco and a Week 17 matchup against St. Louis in the final six weeks of the season.

___

AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote