No one better than Tyler Lockett to lead the new look Seahawks
The Seahawks lost more than talent this offseason with the departures of Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson. Happily, Tyler Lockett is ready to lead these new-look Hawks.
Seattle faces some intriguing challenges this year. For the first time in a decade, Russell Wilson won’t be taking snaps from center. Bobby Wagner won’t be patrolling Seahawks territory and enforcing his will. The Hawks will miss more than just their play, though.
They also need to replace their leadership. Luckily, there are several players who are already stepping into more significant roles, both on and off the field. None are more important than veteran WR Tyler Lockett.
Seahawks have already seen Tyler Lockett step up
To be clear, neither Wagner nor Wilson was the rah-rah type of leader you often see in sports. As renowned as Wilson is for his leadership, he wasn’t loved by all of his teammates. It wasn’t just a few players on the other side of the ball, like Richard Sherman, either.
One of the Seahawks best receivers ever, Doug Baldwin, often had a contentious relationship with his quarterback too. Wagner wasn’t exactly an in-your-face type of leader. As Carson Schroer aptly put it, Wagner quietly had one of the most prolific LB careers ever. BWags had to step into the spotlight when players like Kam Chancellor and Sherman moved on.
Happily, the Hawks have seen several players step forward this offseason. It isn’t too surprising that one of them is Seattle’s longest-tenured player, the always underrated Tyler Lockett. Don’t take my word for it, 12s. USA Today’s Doug Farrar named our beloved number 18 the league’s most underrated wide receiver. As for leadership, I’ll defer to Carson Schroer again. The younger Hawks will definitely benefit from Lockett’s wisdom.
Next. 3 Seahawks who could be surprise cuts after training camp. dark
Last season, when the offense was stuck in first gear, at best, Lockett was the man to step up and say the truth. The staff prepared for the defense they saw on film but often saw very different looks in the game. When the opponents took the field, the Hawks were late to adjust. Or never adjusted. The official word from the Seahawks was everything was alright. When the coaching staff told everyone they were holding up five fingers, Lockett was the man who said there were only four. That is leadership.