Tyler Lockett is Seahawks new Doug Baldwin and needed to be extended

Doug Baldwin was a fantastic receiver for the Seahawks. Tyler Lockett is the manifestation of Baldwin and is likely becoming even better. There was a time when Russell Wilson would try to create something out of chaos while he scrambled around and he would look towards Baldwin first. Baldwin was Wilson’s safety blanket. Now it is Tyler Lockett.

D.K. Metcalf might be more physically gifted than Lockett because Metcalf is more gifted than most of the humans who have ever walked the earth. But Metcalf also doesn’t catch the ball as well as Lockett. In his first two seasons, Metcalf has dropped 15 passes and sometimes that seems to happen on potentially explosive plays. In the last three years, Metcalf has dropped 10 and by far his worst year was 2020.

Metcalf is the player that is going to have more memorable plays, probably. His body language and speed will cause that and that is not a bad thing. But if Wilson and the Seahawks need a first down, Lockett is the player that seems more safe throwing to. Metcalf is a great player, but so is Lockett.

Tyler Lockett gives the Seahawks their new Doug Baldwin

Doug Baldwin was a quick and smart player who was not going to catch 1,000 yards in a season based on his size and physicality. But yet, Baldwin had two seasons with at least 1,069 yards and had another season with 991 yards. He led the league with 14 touchdown receptions in 2015 though he only caught 73 passes. Baldwin got the most out of his ability because he was quick and smarter than the defender.

This is Lockett as well. He is 5’10” and 180 pounds and has great hands and good speed but he isn’t simply quicker than most defensive backs, he is smarter than they are. Lockett knows how to find open space and turn that into completions and has caught 72.6 percent of his targets in his career. Jerry Rice, possibly the greatest receiver ever, caught 62.4 percent of his targets, for example.

The sad part is that Lockett has made just one Pro Bowl and probably won’t make many, if any, more. He is going to be overshadowed by Metcalf. But Metcalf also would not be as productive as he is without Lockett playing across from him. Lockett attracts a lot of attention that would be paid towards Metcalf.

Let’s not forget that there was one Seahawks receiver with a game of 15 catches or 200 yards in 2020 and it wasn’t Metcalf. It was Lockett.

Pete Carroll and John Schneider know how important Lockett is and this is the main reason Lockett is now signed through 2025 after signing a four-year extension this week. Having D.K. Metcalf through is 2022 and having Lockett on the team makes both receivers better and the Seahawks a better team overall.