Seahawks Cut Franchise Cornerstone After 10 Seasons

Tyler Lockett is second on the team in career receptions, yards, and touchdowns.

Tyler Lockett #16 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after a first down in the first quarter of a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Dec. 1, 2024. Elsa/Getty Images

The Seattle Seahawks are parting ways with a franchise cornerstone.

The team announced Wednesday they released wide receiver Tyler Lockett.

Lockett spent 10 seasons in Seattle, becoming a versatile weapon for the team; he finished as the second-best receiver in franchise history. Lockett’s departure could signal something of a regroup in Seattle’s wide receiver room, while the 32-year-old joins a free agent class loaded with veteran talent.

“I really enjoyed being in Seattle!” Tyler wrote in a farewell post on X, formerly Twitter. “I met so many great people and captured so many great memories! The 12’s really make this place meaningful! Although, my time on the Seahawks may have run its course, I’m thankful for everything!! God gets all the glory forever!!!!”

Lockett was drafted by the Seahawks out of Kansas State with the 69th pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. The Seahawks sent four of their 2015 draft picks to the then-Washington Redskins, aiming to bolster a receiving corps that lacked depth.

In his first appearance in the 2015 preseason, Lockett returned a kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos. In the Seahawks’ season opener against the then-St. Louis Rams, Lockett returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown. He set the franchise record for longest kick return later that season with a 105-yard runback for a touchdown. He posted his first career receiving touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in October. He also set the franchise record for most punt return yards in a single game with 139 yards on just four returns.

In his rookie year, Lockett had 51 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns; 33 kick returns for 852 yards and a touchdown; and 40 punt returns for 379 yards and a touchdown. He finished the season with a Pro Bowl nod, one of three rookies to be invited; along with a first-team All-Pro, and a selection on the Pro Football Writers Association’s NFL All-Rookie Team. He also became the first rookie since Gale Sayers to finish with at least five receiving touchdowns, a punt and kick return touchdown in the same season.

Lockett was used mostly as a return specialist and depth receiver early in his career. He had just 597 yards and one touchdown in 2016, though he had a 75-yard rushing touchdown and posted a career-high return average of 26.3 yards per return. He had his best year as a returner in 2017; he led the NFL in kick return yards with 949 and a touchdown, along with 237 punt return yards. He also had a 74-yard receiving TD.

Lockett began to be used much more reliably as a receiver beginning in 2018, and became a legitimate weapon for quarterback Russell Wilson while making a number of highlight-reel plays. He led the team in receiving yards in 2018 with 965; in 2019 with 1,057, his first 1,000 yard receiving season; and in 2021-22 with 1,175, a career high. He put up another thousand-yard season in 2022-23 with 1,033 yards.

Over the course of his career, Tyler Lockett is the second-leading receiver in all three major receiving categories, with 661 catches, 8,594 yards, and 61 touchdowns. He is second on the team in career punt return yardage with 1,078 yards, and tied for fifth in touchdowns with 1; he is fourth in kick return yards with 3,188 and second in TDs with two.

Despite Lockett’s successful career so far, he may struggle to find a new home. The 2025 free agent class is loaded with top veteran talent. According to Spotrac, Lockett is currently the fourth-oldest receiver on the market at 32.4 years old, and comes in with the 9th-most expensive value. This year’s class also includes premiere names like DeAndre Hopkins, Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, Keenan Allen, and Amari Cooper.

Lockett may also not be the only receiver leaving Seattle. Sixth-year wide receiver D.K. Metcalf is reportedly also seeking a trade, which the Seahawks appear inclined to explore. Both Metcalf and Lockett took a backseat to 2023 first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who led the team in receiving yards (1,130) and touchdowns (6).