Seattle Seahawks star wide receiver Tyler Lockett continues to be mentioned as a player the franchise could move on from. The latest trade proposal is sure to anger Seahawks fans as it appears to underrate Lockett’s consistency.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton offered a list of potential trade proposals for NFL contenders to consider. The analyst speculates that the Cincinnati Bengals could land Lockett by simply giving up a fifth-round pick. This would be an extremely low price to pay for a former All-Pro receiver.
“The Seattle Seahawks’ new regime may view Tyler Lockett as an expendable asset with 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba behind him on the depth chart,” Moton detailed in a March 29, 2024 article titled, “1 Trade Each NFL Contender Should Consider to Fill Biggest Weakness.”
“If the Bengals don’t think they will retain Higgins, the club can acquire Lockett to complement Chase in the passing game. At 31 years old, the three-time All-Pro could be highly productive as the primary slot wideout. He’s racked up at least 894 receiving yards in six consecutive terms. Because of Lockett’s age, Cincinnati may be able to acquire him in exchange for a fifth-round pick.”
Seahawks Receiver Tyler Lockett Has Topped 1,000 Yards in 4 of the Last 5 Seasons
Lockett continues to be one of the more underrated receivers in the league. The veteran just broke a streak of four straight seasons topping 1,000 yards while also adding eight or more touchdowns.
Lockett posted a respectable 79 receptions for 894 yards and 5 touchdowns in 17 starts last season. The former Pro Bowler has also been remarkably healthy playing in at least 16 games in seven straight seasons.
The wideout is on a 2-year, $29.6 million contract and has an $18.5 million cap hit for 2024. Seattle is likely to seek a new solution for Lockett’s deal next offseason. Lockett is slated to have a $30.8 million cap hit in 2025, but the Seahawks also have an out in his deal in 2025.
This 2025 cap hit could limit Lockett’s trade value, but Seattle would be better off retaining the playmaker than taking a fifth round pick. The Seahawks could have a potent offense this season in Ryan Grubb’s new system with Lockett playing alongside DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Seahawks Rumors: Tyler Lockett Was Mentioned as a Potential Cap Casualty Before Restructuring His Contract
Heading into the offseason, Lockett had been mentioned as a potential cap casualty. Instead, Lockett and the Seahawks agreed to a new contract restructure to lower his cap hit.
“Lockett, 31, was set to count $26.895 million against the salary cap in 2024, leading to speculation that he could be a cap casualty,” ESPN’s Brady Henderson detailed in a March 9 story titled, “Source: Tyler Lockett restructures deal with Seahawks.”
“Instead, the reworked deal provides him security for this coming season in the form of the nearly $13 million in guarantees, and it gives him the chance to earn all the money he was scheduled to make over the next two seasons if he hits his incentives.”
Seattle wants defenses to keep underestimating Lockett. It will be interesting to see how Grubb uses the experienced player in his system.
