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As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio framed it: "When it comes to talking publicly, Marshawn Lynch and Brett Favre occupy separate ends of the spectrum. When it comes to having an annual late-career case of will-I-or-won’t-I play, Lynch and Favre may end up being identical. ..."

Florio went on to explain that it's become a given that, if Lynch continues his career in 2015, he’ll make considerably more than the $7 million he’s due to earn from Seattle. It’s far from a given that Lynch will continue his career in 2015. But given Lynch's continued dominance of opposing defenses (and his near-monopoly on Seattle's carries), the issue is obviously of great interest to fantasy football owners.

So Florio posed a simple question to a source with direct knowledge of Lynch’s mindset: What is the percentage chance he plays next season?

“Not sure yet” was the response.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported before last Sunday's Super Bowl XLIX loss to the Patriots that the Seahawks have offered Lynch a big contract extension that would keep him with the team for “years to come.”

Lynch would reportedly stand to make more than $10 million in 2015 under the extension. Talks have been going on for a few weeks according to Rapoport and the Seahawks are also expected to have talks about an extension for QB Russell Wilson as they work to keep a very successful band together.

As Associated Press sports writer Tim Booth recently suggested, a case could be made that 2014 was Lynch's best season of his career and it started under an umbrella of speculation about his role.

Seattle coaches hinted in the offseason that backs such as Robert Turbin and Christine Michael could have more of a role in the offense and training camp began with Lynch holding out for the first week.

But once Lynch got on the field, his importance became clear. He rushed for more yards two seasons ago, but this season was a display of how Lynch has become more than just a ball carrier.

Lynch's 17 touchdowns in the regular season, including four TD catches, were a career high. He caught 37 passes for a career-best 367 yards, becoming a more reliable receiving option out of the backfield. He's consistently been a capable blocker in pass protection.

"The thing that he brings to our offense is his versatility," Wilson said. "People underestimate I think his ability to catch the football, his ability to block, his ability to run after contact. Just what he does in the backfield I mean I don't think there's another football player like him in terms of the running back position."

But that's only part of Lynch's story. Where his value is understated, and possibly most appreciated, is the ability to make something out of nothing.

To break tackles before he gets to the line of scrimmage and create a 3-yard gain out of what should be a 3-yard loss. It's a skill others can try and emulate and never truly duplicate.

Of the 1,306 yards rushing during the regular season for Lynch, 771 came after first contact according to STATS. That was the second-highest total in the league, but Lynch averaged 2.8 yards after contact per attempt -- the best in the league for any running back.

In each of his four full seasons with Seattle, more than 600 yards rushing each season has come after Lynch was first hit. And 2014 was his highest total.

If Lynch is back in 2015, he'll be facing the history that often catches up with running backs as they inch closer to age 30. Only 18 different running backs in NFL history have rushed for more than 1,300 yards in a season after turning 29.

But Lynch seems to be a different type of running back. And the Seahawks need Lynch to continue his feverish performance on the ground.

After just a pair of 20-plus carry games over his first six starts, Lynch averaged 18.5 attempts per outing since Week 7, crossing the 20-tote barrier seven times.

Given all this -- most notably the likelihood of a big-money extension, why wouldn't Lynch return?

As Florio suggested, the unpredictable tailback could simply decide he’s had enough.

Whatever the case, I'll be watching Lynch closely in coming weeks as we try to divine what course he takes. Stay tuned.