The Seattle Seahawks are open for business. Tuesday’s shocking trade that sent Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos signals the intentions of a franchise that’s about to fully embrace a rebuild. The Seahawks no longer possess a franchise quarterback on the roster and general manager John Schneider has a plethora of immediate and future draft capital at his disposal, in addition to an abundance of cap space. Seattle must now commit to what is sure to be a drawn-out process as they attempt to return to prominence in a loaded NFC West division that contains the Super Bowl defending champion Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals, and San Francisco 49ers.
According to multiple reports, the Seahawks may also be willing to entertain trade offers for superstar receiver Tyler Lockett. The report makes sense on the surface when analyzing a new-look Seahawks roster in the wake of Wilson’s untimely departure. Lockett will turn 30 years old prior to the 2022 campaign and will almost certainly be past his prime by the time the Seahawks are legitimately ready to compete for a Super Bowl again.
Lockett remains an extremely productive receiver and is under contract through the 2025 campaign. The former Kansas State standout recorded his third consecutive 1,000-plus yard season in 2021. Several receiver-needy teams would immediately attempt to acquire Lockett in yet another big trade involving the Seahawks. We’ve identified three potential fits for Lockett.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
The Raiders should aggressively pursue a high-level receiver this offseason. With the likes of Davante Adams, Mike Williams, and Chris Godwin agreeing to new deals via extensions with their current team or the franchise tag on Tuesday afternoon, the free agent pass-catching market-to-be took a significant hit for teams searching for upgrades. New head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler may now be forced to explore the veteran trade market in hopes of finding a legitimate No. 1 receiver for their exciting offense. The arrest and departure of Henry Ruggs III has significantly altered Vegas’ plans at receiver.
Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow represent two quality pass catchers in Vegas’ offense, but the need for a dominant boundary receiver is ever-present in Vegas’ passing attack. Playing in an AFC West division that includes Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, Russell Wilson and the new-look Denver Broncos, and Justin Herbert and the improving Los Angeles Chargers means the Raiders must prepare to partake in a few high-scoring affairs throughout the 2022 campaign. They must prepare accordingly. Ziegler possesses the financial flexibility necessary to fit Lockett into his offseason plans. Lockett would immediately develop into Derek Carr’s top target at the receiver position.
NEW YORK JETS
This would represent an extremely bold move by general manager Joe Douglas, but it’s certainly justifiable given their current situation. The Jets plan to further address the receiver position this offseason as they continue to build the best environment imaginable around franchise quarterback Zach Wilson. Last offseason’s additions of Corey Davis and Elijah Moore via free agency and the draft respectively provided the Jets with a much-needed and solid pass-catching foundation, but more is now required. Braxton Berrios and Jamison Crowder are set to become unrestricted free agents and both players are expected to test the open market while exploring lucrative offers and opportunities elsewhere.
Wilson experienced a much stronger second half of the season after struggling throughout New York’s first few contests, and the Jets must make several positive offseason moves in order to continue building upon the late-season momentum Wilson managed to capture. Second-year offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur is now tasked with aiding Wilson’s development as the Jets prepare to attempt to get back into the swing of things in a new-look and competitive AFC East. Douglas and the Jets possess a plethora of cap space and can certainly afford to acquire Lockett.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
New head coach Mike McDaniel was hired to help further develop quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is entering a do-or-die season in 2022. McDaniel possesses an excellent reputation for his offensive brilliance, and general manager Chris Grier must be aggressive while attempting to surround both McDaniel and Tagovailoa with the desired resources offensively. The decision to franchise tag Mike Gesicki on Tuesday afternoon is an excellent start, as it locks in one of Tagovailoa’s favorite targets for the upcoming campaign. The presence of the record-breaking Jaylen Waddle provides Tagovailoa with another high-level option in the passing game, but more help is necessary if the Dolphins hope to take a sizable step forward in 2022.
The Dolphins enter the offseason with upwards of $50 million in available cap space, and Grier must strategically use his financial resources to upgrade their offensive personnel. Receiver and offensive line qualify as massive areas of need. The Dolphins are currently lagging behind the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots in the AFC East, and it’s going to take some aggressive moves if they hope to realistically contend for the division title in 2022. Acquiring a receiver like Lockett would bring gigantic smiles to the faces of McDaniel and Tagovailoa.
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