Most Intriguing Seahawks, No. 3: Tyler Lockett ‘now the man’ in offense

Jul 22, 2019, 3:52 PM

Tyler Lockett will assume the No. 1 wide receiver role for the Seahawks in 2019. (AP)

(AP)

Editor, Seattle Sports

The Seahawks kick off training camp on July 25, and until then, Brock and Salk will count down the top 25 most intriguing Seahawks every weekday at 8:30 a.m. Their list continues with No. 3: Wide receiver Tyler Lockett.

Listen to the full segment here, and check out the highlights below:

Quick look

• Lockett had a career year in 2018 with career-highs in touchdown receptions (10 – tied for sixth in the NFL), receiving yards (965) and receptions (57).
• On passes thrown to Lockett in 2018, quarterback Russell Wilson had a perfect passer rating.
• A third-round pick in 2015, Lockett will turn 27 in Week 4 of this season.
• Agreed to a three-year extension prior to the 2018 season, keeping him under contract through the 2021 season.

What Brock Huard says

After a breakout season in 2018, Lockett is in line to see an expanded role in Seattle’s offense following Doug Baldwin’s retirement. That doesn’t just mean the Seahawks will be looking to get the ball in his hands more. It also means the Seahawks will be using him every which way.

“I’ve never seen a guy so dominant in his execution in the movement within an offense as I did with Tyler this offseason,” Huard said. “He’s in the slot, he’s at X, he’s at Z, he’s on jet sweeps, he’s everywhere.

“In the last about 11 years of doing this job and watching thousands of Seahawk practices, if you add them all up over all of the years, I’ve never seen the Seahawks most highlight one player the way they did Tyler Lockett this offseason.”

What the Seahawks say

“We know what Tyler can do. We know Tyler’s going to be in there some. Good luck finding Tyler Lockett – I might not even know where Tyler is half the time because we’re going to move him (around in the offense) so much. We have a good idea of what each guy’s strengths are and so Tyler doesn’t need as much work with Russell; that’s evident by the way that they performed last year.” – Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer

What makes him so intriguing?

Just about everybody thinks Lockett is going to become a superstar in 2019.

“Clear and simple, he is now the man in this offense,” Mike Salk said. “There’s no more Jimmy Graham, there’s no more Doug Baldwin, there’s no one else who specifically has the history nor the trust with Russell Wilson that he does.

“Everyone is predicting that Tyler Lockett has a monster year, Brock. How monstrous could it be?”

Huard’s response: “Oh, it should be over 100 catches and over 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns. … They’re going to give Tyler Lockett ample opportunity to be a 100-catch guy, and if he does what he’s capable of doing talent-wise, which he displayed last year, I think that’s very possible.”