Seahawks Entering Uncharted Waters Without Tyler Lockett

RENTON, Wash. – Since coming into the league as an unheralded third spherical select of Kansas State in 2015, Tyler Lockett has been a pillar of excellence and reliability for the Seahawks on and off the sphere.

Between the traces, few receivers have been extra productive than Lockett, who advanced from a secondary goal and particular groups ace within the early phases of his profession right into a bona fide toe-tapping, pirouetting celebrity. Since supplanting Doug Baldwin because the crew’s No. 1 receiver in 2019, he ranks seventh within the NFL in receptions and receiving yards, eighth in receiving touchdowns, and second in catch fee amongst receivers with no less than 4,000 yards behind solely Rams star Cooper Kupp.

Lockett’s worth goes nicely past his accomplishments sporting a helmet and shoulder pads. Whereas usually quiet and reserved, he is a key chief in Seattle’s locker room and locally, incomes himself back-to-back nominations for the celebrated Walter Payton Man of the 12 months Award due to his immense charity work and philanthropic endeavors.

Contemplating Lockett’s historical past of at all times being accessible, the Seahawks may very well be in for a shell shock to shut out the 2022 season after the standout receiver suffered a damaged bone in his left hand in the course of the fourth quarter of Thursday’s 21-13 loss to the 49ers. Whereas coach Pete Carroll believes he has an opportunity to return in fast order, with him set to endure surgical procedure to stabilize the bone this week, it is doable his season may very well be over with solely three assured video games left to play.

“Very optimistic evaluation this morning from the docs that he is acquired an opportunity to get again shortly, and we’ll see if it could occur,” Carroll stated on Monday. “If there’s any method doable, he’ll do it, he’ll determine it out. We have had good success with this man previously, he is been actually an knowledgeable at it. Perhaps [Lockett] can pull off one thing that might shock us somewhat bit right here, so we’ll see. And I do know that is what Tyler is eager to do.”

If there’s been a key to Lockett’s sustained success, no less than on the sphere, his outstanding sturdiness has allowed him to put up elite numbers that stack up in opposition to the NFL’s greatest. Regardless of being a smaller receiver at 5-foot-10, 180 kilos, he missed simply two mixed video games in his first seven NFL seasons, sitting out the season finale in 2016 with a damaged leg and one recreation in 2021 on account of testing constructive for COVID-19.

Earlier this 12 months, Lockett gutted by way of hamstring and indirect accidents to play in opposition to the Chargers and Giants in back-to-back wins in October, contributing the perfect he might whereas admittedly not being near 100% wholesome. His toughness instructions the respect of coaches and teammates alike, taking part in an integral position in his potential to steer by instance. Not seeing No. 16 in uniform has been much more uncommon than a sunny day within the Pacific Northwest in December.

Put merely, the Seahawks have by no means needed to fear about taking part in an prolonged stretch with out Lockett and when he has been out, his absence has been felt. Within the two earlier instances the place he did not costume on recreation day, they grinded out a sloppy 25-23 win over a foul 49ers crew to shut out the 2016 season and took a 20-10 loss to the Rams in Week 10 final 12 months, receiving just one reception from a receiver not named DK Metcalf in that uncommon Tuesday night time contest.

Already reeling with 4 losses previously 5 video games, Carroll is aware of Seattle cannot substitute the manufacturing of a dynamic playmaker of Lockett’s caliber with one participant and the timing could not be a lot worse. However with the crew nonetheless having an opportunity to make the playoffs, when requested who would assist fill the void, he expressed confidence they’ll discover a technique to get by with out him offensively and keep within the hunt whereas preserving fingers crossed he can return after lacking solely a recreation or two.

“Give us an opportunity to work on that, however you do not substitute him,” Carroll responded. “He is such a unprecedented participant that we’re not going to ask guys to do the identical factor and hope they do it identical to Tyler does. We’ll use our guys to their strengths, in order that’s how we’ll do this. Marquise [Goodwin] has performed very well and actually helped us in plenty of methods, and leaning on him is a good suggestion. Our tight ends are prepared to assist us at any time as nicely. We’ll see as we get again at it.”

As Carroll famous, Goodwin has been a nice shock rising as a viable third goal behind Lockett and Metcalf, rating third on the crew with 4 receiving touchdowns and first averaging 14.3 yards per catch. No different receiver has greater than seven catches this season, nevertheless, with former second-round decide Dee Eskridge failing to make an impression earlier than touchdown on injured reserve himself.

With Lockett being out, Carroll urged Eskridge may very well be again quickly with one other likelihood to develop his position in Seattle’s offense after a disappointing, injury-marred begin to his profession. Seventh-round decide Dareke Younger, who made a spectacular catch alongside the sideline on Thursday night time that sadly was worn out by a holding penalty, must be in line for elevated reps as nicely and has developed a stellar reference to quarterback Geno Smith in his rookie season.

Finally, as Carroll hinted, tight ends will be the ones who acquire essentially the most with Lockett being out in Shane Waldron’s offense, as Smith has exhibited nice belief within the trio of Will Dissly, Noah Fant, and Colby Parkinson all season and relied closely on them at occasions. The trifecta has mixed to catch 90 passes for 938 yards and 7 touchdowns.

No matter what the Seahawks select to do offensively to minimize the blow of Lockett’s damage, the crew will probably be getting into uncharted territory with an actual risk the star receiver will not make it again this season and others might want to step up. With postseason probabilities hanging by a thread in a dire state of affairs, what occurs subsequent Saturday in Kansas Metropolis might go a great distance in the direction of deciding whether or not the crew has any incentive to hurry him again into motion to start with.

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