Jim Harbaugh, Chargers may pounce on Seahawks great if he gets cut

Saying goodbye to a franchise icon is never easy, as the Seattle Seahawks know all too well at this point.

Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner are just some of the icons the Seahawks have had to say goodbye to over the past few years, twice in Wagner's case. Even if the team has managed to remain competitive without them, there was and still is a noticeable void left by their departures.

Now, another Seahawks legend may have played his final game in the Emerald City.

Wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who has spent his entire 10-year career with the Seahawks, saw his role on offense diminish as Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerged this season. With him carrying a cap hit of over $30 million in 2025, he's among the Seahawks' most likely cut candidates this offseason. It would be a sad end to a legendary run in Seattle, but the NFL is a cruel business at the end of the day.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett runs against the Detroit Lions — Sep 30, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) runs the ball against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Eamon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Eamon Horwedel-Imagn Images

If Lockett were to leave Seattle, he should have quite a few suitors even at 32 years old. In a scenario that might make Seahawks fans squirm, Anthony Palacios of Last Word on Sports believes Lockett could join the Los Angeles Chargers and old rival Jim Harbaugh.

"The Los Angeles Chargers have a promising offensive roster with quarterback Justin Herbert that has a lot of bright spots," Palacios wrote. "However, it didn’t work out in the wild-card loss against the Texans since Herbert didn’t have enough talented wide receivers to lead the organization. Being that rookie Ladd McConkey was the only reliable set of hands, it’s easy to see why the Chargers should be in the market for a wide receiver. Quentin Johnston was looking like his former rookie self and didn’t make it any better after leaving his first postseason game with no catches.

"Meanwhile, Joshua Palmer and DJ Chark will hit free agency so the team should get a few consistent receivers to accommodate McConkey. They wouldn’t need to be explosive but perhaps, they could sign Lockett to a one-year deal if he becomes available and see what he could do. Palmer may have had his downfall moments but the team may want to bank on him too to see if he improves."

To illustrate how dire the Chargers' receiver situation is, look no further than the aforementioned Wild Card game against the Texans. In that game, McConkey had nine receptions for 197 yards and one touchdown, while every other Charger combined for five receptions for 45 yards. Lockett may not be what he once was, but he could still help take some pressure off the second-year pro.

Lockett never faced Harbaugh, as he arrived the year after the San Francisco 49ers parted ways with the respected coach. Still, seeing them join forces, especially in a division with former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, would be a bit odd.

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