Few people likely want Tyler Lockett to leave the Seattle Seahawks. But the NFL can also be a brutal business. Tough financial decisions have to be made, and that could mean fan- favorites are released. That could be the case with Lockett.
He is no more than a WR3 for Seattle now. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was WR1 in 2024, and DK Metcalf was WR2. Lockett's production was far off what JSN and Metcalf did. Barring injury, that would not change in 2025.
In a recent article from Bleacher Report that named the most likely salary cap casualties for each team, Lockett was one of the three listed for the Seahawks. The reason is simple. The team has negative cap room this offseason, and Lockett's cap hit is more than $30 million. The team would save $17 million by releasing him. If that happens, where might Lockett go?
If Seattle Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett becomes a free agent, where might he go?
New York Jets
The Jets are going to undergo many offensive changes this offseason, most likely. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers should not be back. Neither should Davante Adams because releasing him saves New York nearly $30 million. The Jets do have a quality receiver, Garrett Wilson, so Lockett would not need to be WR1.
Lockett also would help the Jets in one important area and that is helping reset the culture of the team. New York is a bit of a mess because of poor ownership and Rogers, and Lockett would help the younger players be professionals. He would immediately be a leader in the locker room.
Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore does not have a ton of cap space yet, but they should be able to afford Lockett, especially as his age and lack of high production in 2024 will push his market value downward. The Ravens need a receiver to go along with Zay Flowers, and Lockett would be a good fit for what the Ravens do. He is more of a possession receiver at this stage and could feed off Baltimore's rushing attack.
Kansas City Chiefs
Why wouldn't Lockett end up in KC? The Chiefs have managed to keep winning games even though Patrick Mahomes does not have a lot of weapons at wide receiver. Tight end Travis Kelce is aging, and so is receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but both could have at least one season left. Lockett joining them gives the Chiefs another veteran presence to help win close games.
He is also the sure-handed receiver that Mahomes has mostly missed this season. Plus, the Chiefs remain closer to winning Super Bowls than the Seahawks. If Lockett is going to leave, at least he would be going to a place he could win a championship.
Philadelphia Eagles
The same could be said of the Eagles, too. They will probably stay closer to winning a Super Bowl than Seattle over the next couple of seasons. They also do not need a WR1 or WR2, but they could definitely use a player like Lockett whose ego is not so big that he would not accept being WR3. Like with the Ravens, Lockett would play well off of the Eagles' ability to run effectively.
Besides leaving in free agency after the Seahawks are basically forced to release Lockett due to a lack of cap room, the wide receiver could simply retire. Seeing him produce in a different team's uniform is not something most 12s want to see. Lockett might not want that either. He has made enough money in his career, has a successful real estate business, and his first child is on the way. He might feel it is simply time to say goodbye to playing in the NFL.