Yes, I'm well aware that Chan and Buddy have insisted on more than one occasion that Marshawn Lynch will remain on the roster.  But based on the distribution of carries on Sunday, the question is "How can you not think that Buffalo was showcasing Marshawn?"  Marshawn is a more than capable NFL starting RB.  We know that.  The surprise isn't in the fact that Lynch carried the ball, but the surprise is that he's done it at the expense of first round pick and probable playmaker C.J. Spiller and steady Fred Jackson.  Brian covered C.J.'s workload (or lack thereof) in a post today.  I'm sure you've already seen it. 

Chan and Buddy aren't going to say that they're shopping Lynch.  We'll just wake up one morning and find out that he's been traded.  And why not?  Sure, RB is a strength on a team without many strengths, but RB is also the most easily replaceable position on a football team.  Maybe some of you will argue against that with some response about kickers, but power runners without breakaway speed (Lynch) are really a dime a dozen.  Why not trade Marshawn and get what you can?  Deal from a position of strength and make yourself better somewhere else.  Obviously the Bills can find a need that they can fill.  Lynch isn't going to help them win this year anyway.  Bills' brass have to be eyeing a top 5 pick because they know that going 6-10 or 7-9 is going to put them on the outside looking in at the top QB's.  If Buddy and company are building for the future, they need to stockpile draft picks and young talent across the roster at all positions.  Having a wonderful backfield and secondary isn't going to take you anywhere if the rest of your roster is grossly talent-deficient.  If they hang on to Lynch, I'll be highly discouraged.  If they trade him soon and get something worthwhile, I'll be encouraged that the men upstairs know what they are doing and are moving in the right direction. 

The Bills didn't draft Spiller to collect dust.  Play him.  Who cares about the negative runs?  One big play erases those runs.  This is where I'll lose some of you, but do you think that based on the outlook for this season (now that we see how bad this team and the offense in particular are) the Bills want to use Spiller very little in order to keep down his wear and tear and save him for upcoming seasons where the Bills may be semi-competitive?  Just a ludicrous thought from the back of my mind.   I realize that it might not make much sense (and I don't support it), but who knows.  After all, it's the Buffalo Bills.