Surprise, surprise: Tyler Lockett was effective everywhere on the field in 2022

The Seattle Seahawks open up training camp soon, and the depth at Wide Receiver is looking promising. Not only did the team add some exciting new talent in the draft, they also has two of the league’s top players at the position already in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. While Metcalf gets a lot of the spotlight, the following fact should come as no surprise to anybody on Field Gulls: Tyler Lockett is a wildly efficient receiver. He was efficient with Russell Wilson, and he was efficient with Geno Smith. Consistency has been a key feature of Lockett’s game since entering the league, and especially since his breakout campaign in 2018. But in case you needed some corroborating data, No-E posted a positive receiving grade across the entire field according to Pro Football Focus.

Humorously enough (in a masochistic sense), the area where Lockett was least effective was behind the line of scrimmage, but that isn’t out of the ordinary relative to other receivers. Also, this opens up the discussion around the Seahawks’ offensive system and playcalling, and that isn’t the point of this piece. What I did find surprising was the fact that PFF only credits him with hauling in on pass outside the numbers more than 20 yards up field, but I am chalking this up to their data collection methods. His 6-for-9/193/4TD line in the deep middle seems about accurate, though.

As has been the case for years now, Lockett remains criminally underrated. In spite of the above chart, PFF placed him at the clearly inaccurate (albeit respectable) position of 23rd in their ranking of the top 32 receivers headed into the 2023 season. Don’t get me wrong — there are some phenomenal pass catchers in the NFL, so I’m not trying to argue that Lockett should be at the top of the list. But not even in the top 10? His numbers stack up pretty well when you compare him to the top 5, which is comprised of Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Ja’Marr Chase, and Stefon Diggs, respectively. For what this is worth, DK Metcalf ended up at 14th. Sorry in advance for the long extended tweet thread that follows, this was the most effective way to get the data across.

Clearly, there is something to be said for volume, as Lockett had the fewest overall targets by far. This is a double-edged sword, though, as he also had fewer opportunities to get the ball in his hands, and so he had to make the most of the touches he was able to corral. Also, I feel like I need to acknowledge that any article citing PFF metrics is bound to cause some eye-rolling and hand-wringing, so I want to stress that this is only an example of the data confirming what we — the Seahawks fans — already know: Tyler Lockett is phenomenally efficient wide receiver.

While I am sure that he is far busier concerning himself with his newfound marital life currently, I never see any harm in singing the praises of a player who has made a career for himself as a quiet leader. He will have another golden opportunity to prove himself in 2023. With partner-in-dimes DK Metcalf returning, along with the addition of first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Tyler Lockett and the Seahawks offense could prove to be a force to be reckoned with come September. Now who is ready for camp?!?!??