First, it was going to be Las Vegas. I thought all along it would be Houston. The newest rumors name Dallas. Is there some team that sees former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett as an intriguing chess piece to add to their receiving corps?
Or is the veteran, who turns 33 in September, going to call it a career? Will Lockett be content with retiring after ten years in Seattle – a decade in which he caught more passes and racked up more receiving yards than anyone in franchise history not named Largent?
For the record, I don’t think Lockett will retire. I have no inside info on this. It just doesn’t fit a familiar pattern. There is no significant injury history. 2024 was undoubtedly a comedown from his peak, but the overall performance – 49 catches for 600 yards – was respectable enough. Julio Jones and Randall Cobb played multiple seasons after registering similar production.
Where might former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett next call home?
Lockett is neither too old nor too diminished to help out a team. He would not arrive as any savior. He probably wouldn’t even be a starter. But could he help the right team? Absolutely. He has to want to do it; no one knows if he does right now. He may not realize it himself.
We’re in a donut hole for player movement. The early free agent frenzy has subsided, and now every franchise is focused on the draft. There will probably not be any notable signings until the draft is concluded and teams see where their rosters stand.
That doesn’t mean there may not be a small move here or there, and trades involving draft picks and players are always possible. But if Tyler Lockett latches on somewhere, it probably won’t happen until May at the earliest.
Let’s check in with the teams interested in acquiring the veteran.
Las Vegas Raiders (the worst possibility for 12s)
When Lockett was released in early March, the immediate thought was that newly installed head coach Pete Carroll would bring him to Vegas. He traded for Geno Smith to be his quarterback, but if Carroll plans to reunite the former Seahawk teammates, he is slow-playing the move.
With the short-lived Davante Adams experience now in the past, Jakobi Meyers is the only proven wideout the Raiders have. Chip Kelly wants to run an offense that doesn’t lean on tight ends. Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, and Lockett would seem a good fit to help stretch the field.
After adding Geno and 33-year-old Raheem Mostert, it’s possible that Carroll does not want to load up on more veterans, but he has never been the most patient coach. He will be interested if he thinks Lockett can help him, even if it’s just for one year.
Tennessee Titans
On paper, Tennessee makes some sense. Except for Calvin Ridley, the Titans have no incredibly productive receivers. Neither Treylon Burks nor Van Jefferson can stretch the field. In Jefferson’s case, it is not a question of speed. He has never developed into the reliable deep threat he should be. Perhaps a year of mentorship from Lockett would help.
Still, there’s virtually no chance Tennessee and Lockett will agree to a deal. Lockett is toward the end of his career, and Tennessee is several years and many players away from being a contender. They need to develop young talent. Even if Lockett agreed to a team-friendly deal, he would most likely slow a possible rebuild.
Carolina Panthers
Everything I just said about Tennessee applies in Carolina. If anything, they are even more desperate for any production from wideouts, and that may make the prospect of one year of Lockett a bit more attractive.
They already have Adam Thielen to mentor the young receivers, but Lockett might actually help develop QB Bryce Young by supplying a veteran deep threat option on a team that lacks any kind of downfield presence.
New York Jets
I’ve always thought the Jets are the sneakiest option for Lockett. It’s virtually impossible to predict what kind of offense the Jets will be running in 2025. They have a new head coach who comes from the defensive side of the ball.
They have a new offensive coordinator who has never served in that capacity before, a new quarterback, a clear WR1, and a couple of veterans in supporting roles. But they don’t have a player like Lockett.
I think he could be a genuine benefit to Justin Fields. Tenner Engstrand served as passing game coordinator for the Lions last year and clearly understands what a player like Lockett can and can’t do now. Several other teams make more sense, but the Jets are an intriguing dark horse candidate.
Denver Broncos
Denver seems like a promising landing spot for Lockett, but I don’t feel it. They need to give sensational young QB Bo Nix more options on the outside. Under Sean Payton, Courtland Sutton has developed into a reliable WR1, but he is not the type of explosive playmaker that makes him elite.
Denver has several promising young pass catchers, but none look like sure things. Lockett would seem an ideal fit – a veteran who can provide some decent production while showing the youngsters how to do their business.
But Sean Payton never seems to do the expected thing. He showed that last year when he drafted Nix and started him from day one. I don’t see him turning to Lockett unless a couple of wideouts go down with injury.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are the flavor of the week. Lockett would be a perfect replacement for Brandin Cooks should Dallas want to give Dak Prescott a veteran presence alongside CeeDee Lamb. Until about a week ago, I had New Orleans ranked in this spot.
When they brought their prodigal son Cooks home to where he began his NFL journey in 2014, I crossed them off. You don’t sign both Tyler Lockett and Brandin Cooks. But you certainly could replace one with the other.
And who better to teach a young explosive kick returner like KaVontae Turpin how to develop into a potent receiver than Tyler Lockett, who performed the same transformation for the Seahawks.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have an emerging superstar in Ladd McConkey. Behind him, they have potential, but little certainty. Unlike most other teams mentioned up to now, they are ready to win. Jim Harbaugh has assembled a good offensive line to block for Justin Herbert and given him Najee Harris to be a workhorse in the backfield.
Now, he needs more big-play weapons. Lockett makes all the sense in the world here.
Houston Texans
But I think he makes even more sense in Houston. So I guess that would mean he makes all the sense in the universe. I say this even though the Texans have already taken several steps to bolster their receiving corps.
They added Christian Kirk, who will pair with alpha receiver Nico Collins to give C.J. Stroud a dynamic pair on the outside. They have added Justin Watson to stretch the field. And they have even added Braxton Berrios, who would seem to be the logical stand-in for Tank Dell until he returns from injury.
Even with all that, I still think the Texans make the most sense. They have a Super Bowl-worthy roster. They can carry a veteran specialist for a season or two. Lockett is far more polished than either Watson or Berrios. It is the perfect fit. Whether it eventually comes to pass… that’s a different question.