Offseason departures leave Lockett the ‘old guy’ in Seattle

RENTON, Wash. — A lot to his shock, Tyler Lockett has turn out to be the outdated man.

Wanting across the Seattle Seahawks locker room, the veteran vast receiver is now the longest-tenured member of the roster after the commerce of Russell Wilson and launch of Bobby Wagner throughout a tumultuous offseason.

“You made me really feel outdated once you stated that,” Lockett stated Tuesday after Seattle wrapped up its newest offseason exercise. “It’s lots totally different since Russ and Bobby is gone. Mentally you are feeling such as you’ve acquired to step up. You’re feeling such as you’ve acquired to fill within the gaps and people voids that’s gonna be lacking. However for me, I simply attempt to proceed to be myself. I don’t attempt to put additional stress on myself.”

There’s lots new in Seattle, together with Lockett’s standing within the locker room. He’s the one participant remaining from the Seahawks’ 2015 draft class and simply one among two gamers acquired by Seattle earlier than 2018. Lengthy snapper Tyler Ott is the opposite after he joined the Seahawks in 2017.

However all the brand new is refreshing in a approach for Lockett, who has been Seattle’s chief in both receptions or yards receiving every of the previous 4 seasons. Even when meaning making an enormous adjustment getting used to life with out Wilson.

“Throughout OTAs, I believe you may see some mixtures, you may see lots of issues which are totally different, there’s not likely going to be lots of issues that stand out,” Lockett stated. “I simply assume that proper now we’re simply taking part in with lots of stuff. We’re doing lots of issues in another way. I imply, you guys noticed it right this moment, I assumed we had a very good observe right this moment. And so we’re simply attempting to construct and simply see how far we are able to be capable of go.

“That is the place you take a look at limits.”

Lockett caught lots of passes over time from Wilson and is coming off three straight seasons with no less than 1,000 yards receiving. Even final 12 months when Wilson missed a month attributable to a finger damage, Lockett nonetheless managed 73 catches for 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns.

However that was the previous and the largest query surrounding the Seahawks is who Lockett can be catching passes from this season with Geno Smith and Drew Lock the possible candidates to be Wilson’s substitute.

Lockett stated he has been impressed with Lock up to now coming over from Denver and selecting up Seattle’s offensive system. He’s additionally observed a special demeanor from Smith throughout the offseason program understanding that with Wilson not round he has the prospect to win a beginning job for the primary time for the reason that starting of his profession with the New York Jets.

Since changing into a professional, Lockett hasn’t seen a quarterback competitors play out by the offseason. He stated the final one he can bear in mind got here in highschool.

“It’s one thing new, nevertheless it’s one thing that’s very fascinating simply to have the ability to see relating to that aggressive nature, two individuals, three individuals with the ability to compete for a spot,” Lockett stated. “We noticed it once I first acquired right here at receiver. We had plenty of expertise, a great deal of expertise at receiver. And a great deal of expertise at (defensive again). There was individuals at DB that didn’t make the staff and I used to be shocked, once I was a rookie. And it’s simply that aggressive nature that takes you to totally different locations.”

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