The Seattle Seahawks are facing financial challenges with veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett. In 2025, the team is scheduled to take on a $30 million cap hit for their longest-tenured player.
“Fans of the team may be fiercely loyal to Lockett, but the new coaching staff isn’t,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport in a June 3 article titled, “1 Player Each NFL Team Should Consider Trading Before the 2024 Season.”
Injuries happen and players perceived to be solid fall short all the time. Davenport believes Lockett could be the savior for a team in that situation.
“And Lockett is just the kind of proven veteran that a team could make an offer for if there’s an injury in camp or a young wideout fails to shine in camp.”
Davenport thinks it wouldn’t hurt Seattle to move Lockett while it can still get something in return.
“The Seahawks are a good team. But they aren’t a Super Bowl team—and moving Lockett for the right draft pick wouldn’t make them markedly worse.”
What the Seahawks Could Get in Return for Tyler Lockett
With last season’s first-round pick, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, continuing to grow as a player, Seattle’s new coaching staff could view the fan-favorite as expendable.
Unfortunately for the Seahawks, trading Tyler Lockett would likely not garner much return at this point in his career. The Seahawks could potentially get a third or fourth-round 2025 draft pick for him, but they’re far better off keeping him in their arsenal.
The trio of DK Metcalf, Smith-Njigba and Lockett present a challenge to defenses that would be less potent without him.
Tyler Lockett Is Tired of Trade Rumors
Trade rumors are persistent this time of year and Tyler Lockett is no exception — but he’s over it.
After thanking reporters in his first press conference of the 2024 offseason, Lockett had a simple request of them: Stop with the trade rumors. “Please don’t put no more trade requests out there for me ’cause I see y’all’s articles about me getting traded, like no.”
For Lockett, Seattle is home, which is why he agreed to the March 9, 2024, contract restructure. He hopes to retire a Seahawk, a rarity in today’s NFL. “I think for me, Seattle is home,” said Lockett. “Obviously, it’s a business. So, you gotta kinda look and see what’s good for them and see what’s good for yourself, as well.”
Lockett’s cap hit will make it challenging for him to be moved, and the Seahawks can’t just keep kicking the can down the road.
2024 Could Be Bounce-Back Season for Tyler Lockett
The 2023 season was an off-year for the historically consistent receiver. After posting four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2019 through 2022, Lockett managed just 894 receiving yards and five scores — both his lowest marks since the 2017 season.
But Lockett’s 10th season could signal a bounce-back year under the new coaching regime of Mike Macdonald and Ryan Grubb.
After watching Grubb’s Washington Huskies for two seasons, Lockett feels confident in the nuances of the first-year pro coordinator’s offense.
“I’m very familiar in kind of how they did their offense,” Lockett told reporters. “So now, just being able to learn about it, I think it’s really cool to see exactly how they were successful and what they did, and how they used everybody. And they also had a great running game, too, so I think all that helps.”
