There is a decent chance wide receiver Tyler Lockett is no longer with the Seattle Seahawks next season. He is extremely expensive (he has a $30-plus million cap hit in 2025), and extending him makes little sense. If Lockett was 29 years old? Sure. But he is a few years beyond that now.
Lockett could simply choose to retire if he doesn't want to take a chance on playing on another team. He has certainly earned enough money during his career to do that. He also has a real estate business outside of football that he might want to devote his attention to. Plus, his wife is expecting the couple's first child. He could have lots of dad time with no football.
In other words, he has options, and that is true whether the Seahawks release him or not. The team is over the projected salary cap, even though the cap is expected to be higher than first thought. If Seattle releases Lockett, the team would save $17 million.
Could Seattle Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett be traded to the Buffalo Bills?
Assuming Lockett wants to keep playing, however, where might he end up? Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport believes he has an idea. The receiver's new team would be the Buffalo Bills. In fact, Davenport lists a potential trade of Lockett by Seattle to Buffalo as one of his "dream" scenarios for every NFL team this offseason.
For Lockett, the move might have dividends. He would most likely become a WR2 for Buffalo. He has clearly fallen to WR3 with Seattle, and he is unlikely to move back up. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is younger and quicker and led the Seahawks in catches (100) and receiving yards (1,130) this past season. DK Metcalf is, at worst, WR2.
The trade should make little sense for the Bills, however. They are only about $10 million over the cap, and while Lockett is not going to cost them $30 million, he would still eat up a significant amount of the available money Buffalo has. Lockett has also digressed in terms of production, and has taken to avoiding being hit by defensive backs and simply slides down often. The Bills need a bigger and faster receiver.
For Seattle, while it would be sad to see Lockett leave, the trade would be a win. Getting anything back for the receiver, a player who is more likely to be released than be traded, would be great. The Seahawks save as much money whether they release Lockett or trade him.
To be fair, Davenport does point out that the Bills might not have to trade for Lockett as he is a cap casualty candidate, but even entertaining the idea the receiver is traded is likely wrong. Still, Lockett is likely gone from Seattle, one way or another, this offseason.
