Seahawks reward record-breaker Tyler Lockett with big, new deal: $37 million guaranteed
Break Seahawks records. Break banks.
That’s what Tyler Lockett just did.
Seattle has reached an agreement with its record-setting wide receiver from last season on a new four-year contract worth $37 million guaranteed with a total value of up to $69.2 million. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the new deal first Wednesday morning.
It keeps Lockett, who turns 29 in September, under contract with the Seahawks through 2025.
Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson, K.J. Wright, Pete Carroll and Seahawks coaches who’ve been around a minute call their supposedly too-small receiver and rookie Pro Bowl kick returner out of Kansas State in 2015 “No E.” That was to differentiate Lockett and veteran receiver Ricardo Lockette, with an “e,” in Lockett’s first seasons with Seattle.
“No E” now has lots of $, and well beyond this year.
It’s the latest move by the Seahawks to avert, and convert, high salary-cap charges for 2021 into more manageable ones for the team under its snugly fitting, lower cap.
Lockett, 28, was set to cost $14.95 million this year against the cap, third-highest on the team behind Wilson and Wagner. It was to be the final year of Lockett’s previous, three-year, $31.8 million extension that included $11 million fully guaranteed when he signed it in 2018.
His cap number for 2021 is now less than half that $14.95 million, reportedly down to $7 million. That’s why Seahawks general manager John Schneider and salary-cap executive Matt Thomas got the deal done deal now, in March, in the first weeks of free agency.
Lockett broke Doug Baldwin’s and Bobby Engram’s team record for receptions with 100 last season. Lockett also had his second consecutive year with over 1,000 yards receiving (1,054) for the second time in his six-year career.
He had career-high 10 touchdown passes from Wilson for the second time in three seasons.
After he signed his first Seattle extension in 2018 Lockett thanked the Seahawks for setting up him and his family for life.
“This is something that we all dream of as kids, being able to get to this position and being to know that our family is set and our life is set,” Lockett said three years ago.
The Seahawks stuck with him through a career-altering injury in 2016 that affected his 2017, too.
When Lockett broke his leg on Christmas Eve of 2016 in a home game against Arizona, Baldwin was kneeling next to him on the field, praying.
“For me, words can’t even explain how I feel. I love this organization. Pete, John, everybody’s been so amazing to me,” Lockett said in 2018. “Everything that I’ve needed has been here. They traded pick to come get me (in the draft). They wanted me here. From what I know in the draft they were the only team that told me I could do both, play both returners and receiver.
“They allowed me to grow as a person, and they also allowed me to develop into a receiver that I am continuing to be every, single day.
“You know, we are in a business, so it’s hard for businesses to be able to extend people. And the fact that they were able to give me an extension because they see me in their future, I mean, that says a lot. They’ve given me all of them, and each and every day I’m giving them all of me.”
Now Lockett is triply appreciative. He’s getting three times the guaranteed money in this new deal as in his last one.
After six seasons, Lockett has maintained a work ethic that commands the locker room’s attention, from young and veteran Seahawks alike. He is often the first one onto the practice field each day and the last one to leave it after workouts. He and Wilson often work extra on routes and situational football well after practices end.
Oh, yes, Wilson is happy. Just as the previously “frustrated” franchise quarterback has been this month with his Seahawks re-signing lead running back Chris Carson, pass rushers Carlos Dunlap and Benson Mayowa, signing edge rusher Kerry Hyder and tight end Gerald Everett and trading for new guard Gabe Jackson.
“The homie!!!@TDLockett12 Let’s go!!! You deserve it all! Love you bro!” Wilson posted on Twitter account online Wednesday morning, with a emojis of a flexing biceps and framing, let’s-go hands.
The retired Baldwin celebrated online, too—by telling Lockett meals on now on him.
The Seahawks can afford to break the bank on Lockett for 2022 and ‘23.
The NFL salary cap is expected to rise to around $200 million next year as the league and society emerge from the financial losses of the coronavirus pandemic this past year; commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday the league expects stadiums full of fans during the 2021 season.
In 2023, the NFL’s new, $10-billion-a-year television and streaming-rights contracts for game broadcasts kick in. That is expected to spike the cap to $225 million or more per team in ‘23 and beyond.
Plus, DK Metcalf, Lockett’s Pro Bowl partner at wide receiver who led the league in yards receiving for much of his second NFL season last year, remains under his rookie contract for the next two years. The Seahawks are getting Metcalf’s league-leading production at salaries of just of $912,000 and $1.1 million in 2021 and ‘22.
That makes Lockett and Metcalf combined a bargain for their combined 183 catches, 2,357 yards receiving and 18 touchdowns from a year ago.
This story was originally published March 31, 2021 at 10:04 AM.
