The Seattle Seahawks have employed Tyler Lockett since they selected him with the No. 69 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
As one of the best receivers in franchise history embarks on the 10th season of his tenure with the franchise, there’s reason to believe it could also potentially be the last, even if the player has publicly stated he doesn’t want to hear anymore about trade rumors.
When considering which NFL teams could be aggressive sellers during the 2024 season, Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine suggested that the Seahawks could look to move on from Lockett at some point this season.
“It certainly doesn’t hurt to build up a stockpile of picks when they might be in the market to replace Geno Smith at quarterback next offseason,” Ballentine writes. “If they decide to go that route they would have a few trade assets who could net a good return. Tyler Lockett is the most notable. He signed a new contract this offseason, but he still only has two years left on his deal. A trade this season would clear $14.9 million in cap space.”
Lockett is still very valuable and helpful towards winning for the Seahawks. Last season, he caught 79 passes for 894 yards and five touchdowns. It was the first season since 2017 where Lockett failed to hit 900 yards, but part of that had to do with 2023 first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s inclusion in the offense. He also has a contract that would be prohibitive to trade right now, as trading him would only open up $5 million in cap space after restructuring his contract this spring.
The presence of Smith-Njigba is a big reason why the Seahawks could afford to part ways with Lockett down the road, and moving him at midseason wouldn’t incur near as big of a dead cap hit. With the second-year wideout being the future at the position, as he continues to improve his game, the less Lockett will be needed on offense.
While Lockett provides tremendous value on and off the field, the reasons to trade or move on from him continue to warrant a discussion. But as long as Seattle remains in contention for a playoff spot, don’t expect shipping him elsewhere to be a top priority. If the team does struggle out of the gate, the door could open for a bit of a selling spree.
