One proposed trade has Seahawks fans saying goodbye to Tyler Lockett
By Lee Vowell
One might believe that obviously, the Seattle Seahawks do not want to get rid of wide receiver Tyler Lockett nor does Lockett want to leave the team. In fact, he took less money when reworking his contract to stay with the team at least through 2024 than to refuse the rework and likely be released. Lockett has been the second-most productive player in Seattle franchise history and has been an even better human being.
We can also assume that Bleacher Report's Maurice Moton might not keep up with Seattle news. He recently wrote an article, or at least it was published recently, where he proposes Seattle trading Lockett to the Cincinnati Bengals. The reason is that receiver Tee Higgins has requested a trade from the Bengals after receiving the franchise tag so Lockett would, theoretically, replace Higgins.
Moton focuses his small write-up about his proposed trade on Higgins, but does write about Lockett, "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." There are at least a couple of things wrong with Moton's thought process. And again, he wrote about the Lockett trade idea prior to the recent reworking of Lockett's deal and Bleacher Report simply posted the article late. It happens.
Proposed trade for Seattle Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett is illogical
Still, Moton saying that the "Seahawks' new regime" wants to do something is fairly ridiculous. Seattle, as all 12s know and clearly Moton is not fully aware, has a new coaching staff but not a new "regime." General manager John Schneider has been in his position with the team since 2010. Schneider is now in full control of all the final roster moves, and new head coach Mike Macdonald is simply in charge of coaching the players that Schneider gives him.
But Schneider has had input on who plays for Seattle and who doesn't for the last 14 years so he clearly is not new. I would say this is a minor oversight by Moton, but it is not. Instead, he is just obviously unaware of how the Seahawks work (for the last 14 years).
Secondly, there is zero reason to trade Lockett at this point, especially as Moton believes the Bengals would only send a fifth-round pick back for the receiver. Trading Lockett prior to June 1 would cost the Seahawks nearly $9 million. Even a post-June 1 trade would only save the team $5 million. But why rework the receiver's deal only to trade him? That seems illogical and somewhat cruel.
More likely, Moton simply has not done his homework and simply thinks Lockett is an aging receiver who could be a good fit in Cincinnati. He would be because Lockett is still a good receiver. But there is no way this trade happens and even proposing the trade is a massive overreach.