If you were expecting the Seattle Seahawks to have a pressing need at wide receiver entering the 2021 NFL Draft, think again. With a limited number of picks this year, it remained paramount they retained what stellar talent they could, and that includes currently disgruntled quarterback Russell Wilson. The best way to appease Wilson is to not only give him protection up front, but to also keep his weapons intact, and few have arguably been more dynamic for him than wide receiver Tyler Lockett. Knowing this, the Seahawks have reportedly agreed to terms with Lockett on a four-year, $69.2 million contract extension, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, that includes $37 million guaranteed.
Needless to say, and especially when combining this with the trade for and extension on offensive guard Gabe Jackson, Wilson is ecstatic; and that might hint at a growing chance of reconciliation with the club.
"The homie, [Tyler Lockett]!!!" Wilson said, via Twitter. "Let's go!!! You deserve it all! Love you, bro!"
NEVER forget this Tyler Lockett catch😤🔥 pic.twitter.com/kPlxKSxsAS
— PFF (@PFF) March 31, 2021
As you can see in the clip above, Wilson has reason to smile.
Considering Lockett was set to enter a contract year in 2021, the extension locks him in through the 2025 season, and in tandem with the equally dynamic D.K. Metcalf -- who himself will soon command top dollar. This marks the second extension for Lockett in Seattle, having previously signed a three-year, $30.75 million deal with $20 million guaranteed, easily blowing past those figures this time around. Lockett was set to hit the Seahawks salary cap this season for $13.75 million, but there are potential savings to come if the new deal absorbs the final year of his existing one and spreads the overall cash around over five years.
Lockett finished the 2020 season with his second consecutive 1,000-yard outing, adding 10 touchdowns to boot. In the past three seasons alone, he's racked up 3,076 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns, averaging 12.9 yards per reception and continually proving he's as much a threat underneath as he is in his role as a downfield dynamo. A former third-round pick in 2015, the 28-year-old is a two-time Pro Bowler who's never suited up for any team other than the Seahawks, and he and the organization just helped decrease the odds of it ever happening in the future.
