RENTON -- There are millions of things to discuss as Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks talk about a new contract. After all, he isn't going to be paid in Skittles.

There's one overriding reason to think something will get done, though: the franchise tag.

No player generally wants that, per se. That is especially true for running backs given their shelf life and the possibility of injury.

For Seattle, it's a trump card of sorts in the negotiation, and for Lynch's side, it complicates the negotiation. He can't necessarily wait and see what he'll get on the open market because the Seahawks can always block him from truly getting there.

That's a fact that makes the contract that Deangelo Williams signed with Carolina earlier this year -- a five-year deal worth $43 million with more than $20 million guarantees -- not as applicable. Seattle can simply say that deal is an aberration, and not a negotiating point.

The franchise tag for running backs is expected to come down this year, checking in at less than $8 million. Seattle hasn't placed the franchise tag on any player other than a kicker since 2005 when it was used on Shaun Alexander. The fact that Seattle has that tag at its disposal could end up being a critical tool in getting a deal done.