Seahawks surprising WR release adds more star power to NFL free agency

This is going to be the offseason of shock releases and trades, and the Seahawks wasted no time getting in on it too. On Wednesday Seattle released former All-Pro WR Tyler Lockett, who has been with the organization since 2015.

Lockett struggled in 2024 to finish with just 600 receiving yards, his lowest since 2017 — but a large part of that was a new Hawks offense that was still trying to work out how to integrate Lockett into its passing attack. Even though he’s 32-years-old, teams will still be intrigued by getting a veteran of his caliber, especially considering he’s only two years removed from a 1,033 yards, 9 TD season.

This is shaping up to be really, really interesting crop of WRs hitting free agency at the same time. Lockett is firmly locked in the tier two of available receivers. Chris Godwin, Davante Adams, and Amari Cooper are the guys at the top of this class, with Lockett contending with the likes of Stefon Diggs, Hollywood Brown, and Darius Slayton in the tier below.

The shared DNA of all the receivers in this group is that they’re all leaps of faith. Injuries, poor play, or an inability to click has put them on the open market as teams get younger — but there’s something to be said for the steady reliability and consummate professionalism of Lockett in this group.

Naturally it’s going to be interesting to see if Pete Carroll brings Lockett to the Raiders. That’s a natural fit for a team in need of WR help and Carroll liking to have familar faces around him. Another potential team to watch would be the Carolina Panthers, who also need receiver help and have front office DNA with GM Dan Morgan and HC Dave Canales both cutting their teeth under Carroll in Seattle.

The WR market is going to be one of the most fascinating groups to watch this free agency.