This offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers created quite a stir when they acquired star quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in a blockbuster transaction. The Pittsburgh media is now demanding that the Steelers make a bold trade for wide receiver Tyler Lockett, Wilson’s former top target in Seattle.
For the last six seasons, Lockett has been a reliable playmaker for the Seahawks. In 2022, he caught 79 passes for 894 yards and five touchdowns, even though Seattle’s offence was not very good overall. Wilson’s reunion with him might provide the Steelers with the dynamite quarterback-receiver combination they have been missing.
But there are certain barriers preventing this possible reunion. To begin with, if the Seahawks dealt Lockett before June 1st, they would be smacked with a hefty $27.8 million dead cap penalty. Even a deal after June 1st would result in a $13.9 million cap hit for them. It doesn’t seem realistic that Seattle will absorb such a large financial loss in order to make room for the Steelers, given their goal to rebuild and compete again shortly.
The question of why the Seahawks would want to improve Pittsburgh in the first place also has to be addressed. As an AFC franchise, Seattle is not better served by assisting the Steelers in improving their squad. In the event that the Seahawks decide to sell Lockett, NFC teams that are able to provide assets and cap relief might be more desirable trading partners.
According to Lockett, he has expressed in public that he would like to stay in Seattle if at all feasible. The 29-year-old has played for the Seahawks his whole career, growing into one of the most effective wide receivers in team history. Disregarding the wishes of this long-tenured athlete could cause friction within the Seahawks locker room as a team.
Having said that, Russell Wilson would surely want Lockett, his dependable comfort blanket, to travel with him to Pittsburgh. During their tenure with the Seahawks, Lockett proved to be Wilson’s most dependable wide receiver. Over the years, Wilson’s improvisational scramble approach has been perfectly balanced by his route running precision and agility.
Nevertheless, wide receiver is not the only position the Steelers need to be filled on their roster. They specifically need to strengthen their running game and offensive line. Thus, it might not be the best use of funds to allocate premium draft capital or to overpay for Lockett.
In the end, while the Pittsburgh press is clamoring for an exciting Russell Wilson-Tyler Lockett reunion, it seems unlikely to come to fruition. The Seahawks have little incentive to accommodate the Steelers and would incur massive cap penalties in the process. Lockett appears opposed to leaving Seattle too. Unless he demands a trade, the Seahawks would be wise to keep their talented wideout in the fold as they work to rebuild back into contenders over the coming years. I sincerely hope you enjoy this “Tyler Lockett to Steelers? How Pittsburgh Press is Pushing for a Reunion with Russell Wilson?” article.
