By Bob Condotta

The Seattle Times

SEATTLE —A reunion of Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks is indeed a possibility.

Lynch flew to Seattle on Monday to meet with Seahawks officials and take a physical and discuss potentially signing with the team for the remainder of the season, coach Pete Carroll confirmed during his radio show Monday on ESPN 710 Seattle.

And Carroll sounded optimistic a signing will happen, saying “we’re going to give him a really good chance to come back and play for us. … we’ll let you know in a few hours from now.”

Carroll intimated the only thing potentially getting in the way is Lynch’s condition. But he likewise sounded optimistic that won’t be a issue.

“He has worked really hard,” Carroll said of Lynch, who has not played since October of 2018 in a game against the Seahawks in London while with the Raiders. “Got to see what kind of shape he’s in. From what we understand he’s in really good shape.”

Asked that it be would exciting to get one of the team’s most iconic players back on the field, Carroll said, “so let’s be excited about it. … there’s a lot of history there that’s great history and there was nobody that ever amplified the kind of mentality and toughness that we like to play with and so if we get a chance to get the Beast back on the field we’ll see how that works out.”

And as for Lynch not having played in a while?

“The circumstances rolled just at this time,” Carroll said. “He could have 4-5 games left in him. Maybe that’s what we need.”

The news of the visit was first reported by Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. A source confirmed to The Seattle Times that the team would consider signing Lynch. Several other running backs will also be considered, including C.J. Anderson —who helped lead the Rams to the Super Bowl last season —and another former Seahawk, Robert Turbin.

And while Seattle appears set to sign Lynch assuming all goes well with his physical and negotiations, Seattle is likely to sign at least two running backs to take the roster spots of Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise, who each suffered season-ending injuries in Sunday’s 27-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Seattle ended the game down to just one tailback —rookie Travis Homer —who played the entire second half. Seattle was already without Rashaad Penny, who suffered a knee injury against the Rams Dec. 8.

Carroll confirmed that Carson is out for the season saying he “has a fracture in his hip from a real violent shot he took, hit the ground with his knee.” Carroll again compared the injury to one suffered a year ago by safety Lano Hill, who had surgery and was out about eight months before returning. Prosise suffered a broken arm.

But no matter who else signs, it is obviously Lynch who would draw the most attention as he would attempt to have one last and improbable act in a Seahawks career that appeared to have ended for good when he retired following the 2015 season.

Lynch is the fourth-leading rusher in team history with 6,347 yards and second in rushing touchdowns with 57.

Lynch, who is 33 years old, has not played since suffering a groin injury while playing for the Raiders against the Seahawks in a game in London on Oct. 14, 2018.

Lynch finished last season on injured reserve and became an unrestricted free agent when his contract with the Raiders expired following the season.

Lynch last played for Seattle in 2015, famously announcing his retirement by tweeting a photo of a pair of cleats hanging over an electrical wire during the Super Bowl.

After sitting out a year, he returned to play two seasons for his hometown Raiders and had 1,267 yards on 297 carries with Oakland.

Lynch never announced his retirement, and a report in May said he would return to the Raiders this year if they needed him.

Lynch visited the Seahawks’ training complex two weeks ago when he was in town, but at the time playing was not considered. The visit was merely a social one, though the team had to report it to the NFL since Lynch has not officially retired.

But that will be different now as Lynch will meet with Carroll and general manager John Schneider to consider playing again.

The ending to Lynch’s Seattle tenure was a little bumpy —he famously did not get on the bus for a trip to the airport for a playoff game against Minnesota to the surprise of Carroll and others in the organization after deciding he wasn’t well enough to play after having had sports hernia surgery early in the 2015 season. He returned to play in the divisional playoff game against Carolina but had just 20 yards on six carries, and the announced his retirement a few weeks later.

Carroll, though, said he has kept in contact with Lynch since he left Seattle —Lynch has made frequent visits to the area for business and personal reasons.

“We have stayed in touch some,” Carroll said, adding he thinks Lynch would be equally excited about a return.

“I’m hoping (it works out) for him. He will have a blast playing for this team. He loves this city. He loves playing here.”