Lynch ‘entertaining’ return, Carroll says

Retired Seahawks RB reportedly eyes hometown Raiders.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix that running back Marshawn Lynch “is somewhat entertaining” the idea of coming out of retirement.

But Carroll also said Lynch did not ask the Seahawks to be taken off the reserve/ retired list when he talked to him 10 days ago and said he can’t answer if Lynch will return and what the Seahawks would do if he did ask to come back.

“I know that he is somewhat entertaining the thought of it,” Carroll said during the annual breakfast with NFC coaches. “I can’t tell you how strong it is.”

The Raiders are reportedly interested in the Oakland native, whose rights would still belong to the Seahawks should he decide to return to the NFL.

“I don’t know,” Carroll said of Lynch, who turns 31 in April. “Depends on how he has approached this offseason. He looked OK (when Carroll saw him 10 days ago). The mentality that it takes to play this game the way he plays the game, he has to really be invested and ready because he goes deep when he plays. And whether or not that is still in him and the burn is still there, I couldn’t tell that from talking to him.”

Carroll also revealed that several teams have called the Seahawks inquiring about trading for cornerback Richard Sherman, and the club did not immediately reject the idea.

“You either are competing or you are not,” Carroll said. “So we have always had to be open to every suggestion that comes along. There have been some teams that have called, and so we have talked about it. But he is extremely important to our football team. I don’t see anything happening at all.”

Saints: While New Orleans remains interested in Patriots cornerback and 2015 Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler, an offer sheet for him probably isn’t forthcoming.

Saints coach Sean Payton said Wednesday his team won’t give up its first-round selection in next month’s draft to secure Butler, a restricted free agent.

“We had a chance to visit with him,” Payton said. “Currently, it’s my understanding he hasn’t signed his tender, so it was just that. We can sign him to an offer sheet, but I don’t think we’re going to do that and give up the 11th pick. In fact, I know we’re not going to do that.”

The tender is for $3.91 million and Butler can’t be dealt by New England if he doesn’t sign it. He can also sign an offer sheet with another team, which also would have to compensate the Patriots with a first-round choice.

Payton also shot down a report that the Saints had interest in troubled quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Payton had breakfast with Manziel during Super Bowl week, but said it was only a get-acquainted meeting.

Jets: Josh McCown may be the new quarterback on the roster, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s New York’s starter. Speaking at the NFL owners meetings, coach Todd Bowles made it clear that there will be “heavy competition” between McCown and young incumbents Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty.

McCown, 37, signed a oneyear, fully guaranteed $6 million deal last week. But Bowles insisted that “nobody has been promised the starting quarterback job.”

The Jets have also shown interest in several top quarterback draft prospects, including Mitchell Trubisky (North Carolina) and Deshaun Watson (Clemson).

Bills: Waived defensive lineman Scott Crichton for failing his physical two days after he was claimed off waivers from the Vikings. Crichton was Minnesota’s thirdround pick in the 2014 draft but missed all of last season because of an injury.

Legal: Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) police are investigating an alleged sexual battery case at a beach-side hotel that involves former Cowboys star Michael Irvin, an agency spokeswoman said.

“He has been named as someone who is being investigated in the case, but he has not been charged with any offense and has not been arrested,” Detective Tracy Figone said Wednesday.

Irvin’s lawyer, Larry Friedman of Dallas, said of the allegations, “We think this is an extortion attempt. There was absolutely no assault and no sexual assault . ... We’re willing to cooperate fully.”

Marshawn Lynch’s rights would still belong to Seattle.