Underrated wide receiver's release opens door for sneaky good Panthers addition

The Carolina Panthers are going to sign a wide receiver, but it's probably not going to end up being a game-breaking talent like Davante Adams or Chris Godwin. Instead, it's likely to be another veteran and probably one that's fairly cheap. Enter Tyler Lockett, a player who fits that criteria and was just released.

We've parted ways with a franchise icon, releasing Tyler Lockett after 10 memorable seasons in Seattle.

Read more » https://t.co/cSGkAB00Jk pic.twitter.com/cX6yH7q8Cd
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 5, 2025

Lockett has been one of the most reliable wide receivers in football for the last decade, and he's now available to sign following his release. The player has 61 touchdown catches in those 10 seasons, and he's still got some juice left in the tank.

The former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver has a direct connection to Panthers head coach Dave Canales, which makes a signing all the more likely. Canales brought David Moore from Seattle with him to be a depth wideout in Tampa Bay and Carolina, and now he can get the higher-end Lockett to do the same.

`’Jan 5, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks Wide Receiver Tyler Lockett (16) runs down the field baseline at SoFi Stadium for the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams Week 18 matchup. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images | William Navarro-Imagn Images

The Panthers ultimately do need a wide receiver, and they probably should look at one that can be a WR1. Lockett can't be that, as he was passed on the depth chart by both DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the last few years.

However, the WR1 options are slim, and the Panthers have very little financial freedom. They also have a billion holes on defense, so big-money additions can't really be on offense. That's what makes Lockett such a wise investment.

He'll be cheap and familiar to Canales. He'd give the Panthers a wide receiver room of Adam Thielen, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, and Lockett, which still isn't top-tier but is enviable in a lot of ways. The team could do a lot worse, and now Lockett can make that happen.

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