There is some virtue to this, as Locklear is an excellent right tackle. The maximum value is $32 million, hopefully some more lucid breakdown of its actual value will become available in the next few days. Here's a brief list of the positives and negatives of the deal:
Positives
- Stability. Seattle knows that its current window is tied to Matt Hasselbeck and Walter Jones. While drafting an offensive tackle represents more upside than simply re-signing Lock, it can be thought to represent more downside, too. Possibly enough to hurt Seattle's chances of contending.
- Lock is an excellent pass blocking right tackle. And that, pass blocking, is far and away the most important skill of a right tackle.
- Whether Seattle drafts a left tackle in this next draft or in some future draft, a solid right tackle that doesn't cost too much is always valuable.
- He'll only be 27 at the start of next season.
- This allows for more draft flexibility. If Seattle can re-sign Hackett, it can comfortably enter the draft with no needs.
- He can always be cut.
Negatives
- This makes it much less likely that Seattle drafts an offensive tackle in the coming draft. This is problematic because though Lock could probably pass muster as a left tackle, he'd be below average and not what you think of as Super Bowl caliber.
- Lock was attained in the third round. Right tackle is not a premium position. Signing Lock is a move to security at a position that Seattle didn't need to be too worried about filling.
- This eliminates the possibility of Seattle drafting a top left tackle, sticking him in at right, and featuring one of the best offensive lines in football.
- Though the downside looks superficially smaller, an injury to Jones leaves Seattle's line significantly degraded. Tim Ruskell may be ignoring a far larger pothole than a faulty right tackle: a suspect right and left tackle.