Why Marshawn Lynch is fighting a losing battle

Marshawn Lynch had to hold out. He had no choice. For a 28-year-old running back coming off a 1,200-yard season, this is his last shot at a big-money contract.

But he isn't going to get it.

It was revealed Thursday that the Seattle Seahawks back won't be reporting to training camp as he holds out for a new contract. Lynch's decision comes on the heels of fellow running back Jamaal Charles engaging in a brief holdout that earned him a two-year extension reportedly worth more than $18 million. 

Although their situations seem similar, they're really not; Charles was vastly underpaid, and the Chiefs needed him far more than the Seahawks need Lynch.

Their rushing totals from a season ago are eerily similar; Charles ran for 1,287 yards and 12 scores while Lynch racked up 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns. But Charles is significantly more valuable in the passing game; he added nearly 700 receiving yards and seven scores through the air, as the majority of the Chiefs' offense ran through him.

The Chiefs simply don't have the talent at wide receiver like the Seahawks do, and with all due respect to quarterback Alex Smith, if you take Charles out of that offense, the Kansas City attack becomes ordinary. Smith rarely pushed the ball downfield last season and connections to Charles out of the backfield greatly inflated his numbers. 

Additionally, the Chiefs' defense benefits from Charles' presence more than the Seahawks' D gains from Lynch. Kansas City finished 24th in total defense last year, while the Seahawks rocked the league's top-ranked D while allowed a measly 14 points a game. Kansas City needs more from its offense - and by extension, Charles - than Seattle requires from Lynch.

The Seahawks also seem confident, perhaps overly so, in backup Christine Michael. Despite just 18 career carries, the organization raved about Michael this offseason and stated it will be using a committee backfield in 2014. 

Workhorse running backs are a dying breed in the NFL, as the majority of teams employ pass-happy attacks and are opting to go with a committee backfield. Lynch, who has also had off-field issues in the past, should feel fortunate he's slated to make $7 million this year and $9 million in 2015. 

The Seahawks are a smart organization that has built a great team; that last word is key. Seattle doesn't rely on any one player to win - and by signing Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman to extensions this offseason, the Seahawks should have ensured their defense will be set up to take pressure off of the offense for years to come. 

Given his age and the inevitable decline of the running back position, it's understandable why Lynch is making one last stand. Just don't expect the Seahawks to be that sympathetic.