New Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has been a fixture at the team’s Alameda complex. Running back Marshawn Lynch has stopped by a few times now and met with Gruden, a source told NBC Sports Bay Area on Friday afternoon.
The Las Vegas Review Journal first reported the information.
Gruden said at his introductory press conference he was looking forward to meeting with Lynch and talking football with the physical rusher. That hadn’t happened while Gruden was a Monday Night Football analyst, because Lynch generally doesn’t speak with the press and declined requests to join pregame production meetings.
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This information contrasts Thursday reports stating that Lynch has not yet met with Gruden and has been avoiding phone calls from the coach and others in the organization.
His agent strongly refuted those claims Thursday on Twitter.
Lynch remains under contract with the Raiders. He can earn up to $6 million in 2018, though none of that money is guaranteed. He was the Raiders’ best skill player in 2017’s second half. Lynch never missed a practice due to injury, and was a full participant in the Raiders offseason program and training camp after he unretired and was acquired from Seattle.