Gruden uncertain of Lynch's future with Raiders

One year after ending his retirement to play for his hometown team, Marshawn Lynch's status with the Oakland Raiders appears uncertain.

"I don't know," head coach Jon Gruden told Jerry McDonald of The Mercury News when asked if he thinks Lynch will be a Raider in 2018.

"I have talked to Marshawn briefly," he added. "We'll see. We'll keep everybody posted. Right now, he's our leading ball-carrier. He's our back, and we're counting on him. Hopefully we get an opportunity to work together. That's a man that has a lot of respect in this league as a player and I certainly have respect for him also."

Lynch, who turns 32 in April, rushed for 891 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 appearances last season in his first year back from a one-year retirement. He's under contract through the 2018 campaign, but carries a cap hit of nearly $6 million, according to Spotrac.

Though the two have made contact, Gruden said he hasn't yet met Lynch in person.

The Raiders are coming off a frustrating 6-10 campaign, and Lynch's antics on and off the field led to questions about how well he fit into the team's locker room.