Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett is entering only his second season in the NFL, and could be set for a much larger role in the Hawks’ offense.
This is the latest from head coach Pete Carroll. According to a Pro Football Talk report, the Seahawks coach said that Lockett is “right in the middle of all our planning and all of our preparation.”
The wide receiver has certainly deserves to be a larger part of the offense after an extremely promising rookie campaign. Widely regarded as one of the steals of his draft, the former third-round pick contributed on a number of different fronts for a Seattle team that made yet another playoff run.
In 2015, Lockett finished second on the Seahawks in receptions and touchdowns. The rookie hauled in 51 catches for 664 yards while also adding eight scores. Only Doug Baldwin topped Lockett on the team in terms of catches and touchdowns.
Additionally, the wideout seemed to get better as the season progressed. Over his final seven regular-season contests, Lockett snagged 30 catches on 40 targets for 404 yards and five touchdowns. What’s more, the Kansas State product also added five carries for 20 yards as the Seahawks showed a willingness to get the ball in his hands.
Lockett was extremely dangerous with the ball in his hands last season, especially on punt and kick returns. The rookie would go on to make the Pro Bowl as a return specialist after returning 40 punts for 379 yards and a touchdown and 33 kickoffs for 852 yards and another score.
Next season’s role
In terms of a role next season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lockett finish behind Baldwin and tight end Jimmy Graham in receiving yards. Baldwin is a legitimate number-one receiver, while Graham will command a significant number of targets as he looks to bounce back from an injury-shortened debut campaign in the Pacific Northwest. However, Lockett will cause opposing defenses troubles thanks to his game-changing ability.
Unlike Baldwin and Graham, Lockett can consistently take the top off of opposing defenses with his top-end speed. That extra dimension will help a Seattle offense that is facing life without Marshawn Lynch.
Lynch was replaced, more than capably, by Thomas Rawls. However, the Seahawks added a trio of running backs in the draft to compliment Rawls and may not want to over work him. In other words, the team could continue to throw more.
Russell Wilson found considerable success last season down the stretch in the passing game. The quarterback tossed 24 touchdowns—compared to just one interception—and racked up 1,906 yards and a 70.97 completion percentage over his final seven games. If he can continue to throw the ball like that, Lockett will get more chances to impress, especially with defenses more keyed on Baldwin and a healthy Graham.