Seahawks 2019 Awards: Offensive Player of the Year
Following a season-ending loss in the NFC Divisional Round, the Seahawk Maven writing staff will be selecting award winners for the Seahawks successful 2019 campaign. Moving forward with our end-of-the-season awards, receiver Tyler Lockett fully capitalized on his first opportunity as Seattle's true No. 1 receiver by posting career numbers and establishing himself as one of the league's best weapons.
Overshadowed by veterans Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse, Tyler Lockett broke into the NFL as a third-round pick with the Seahawks in 2015 known for his special teams accolades rather than his receiving contributions.
Earning a First-Team All-Pro selection during his rookie season, Lockett quickly made a name for himself as one of the league’s most electric return specialists, returning both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown. But he also produced six touchdown receptions as a receiver, finishing second on the team behind Baldwin and showing he was capable of becoming much more than a core teams player.
Over the next two seasons, Lockett remained an overlooked offensive weapon for Seattle, battling back from a gruesome broken leg to produce 86 receptions for 1,152 receiving yards and three touchdowns during that span. Despite never eclipsing 700 receiving yards in a season, the organization awarded him with a three-year, $31.8 million extension in August 2018.
Fast forwarding two years later, the Seahawks once-questioned decision to give Lockett a lucrative extension now looks like one of the league’s best bargains.
Though Baldwin returned for an eighth season in 2018, he battled a myriad of injuries throughout the year. With the star receiver playing at well below 100 percent and missing a handful of games, Lockett emerged as Wilson’s go-to target, posting career-highs in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
When targeting him, Wilson posted a perfect 153.8 passer rating and Lockett caught over 80 percent of his 70 targets.
Once Baldwin was forced to retire last May, many questioned whether or not Lockett would be able to build off his career year to become a true No. 1 receiver for the Seahawks. Looking back at his 2019 campaign, it’s safe to say he hit a home run in his new role.
“I knew he would attack it,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said prior to Seattle’s divisional round game in Green Bay. “I knew he would love it. I knew he would really be excited about the opportunity. The talent, the playmaking ability. You knew it wouldn’t be too big for him. Terrific year. Never surprised me with him, what he’s able to do both on the field and off.”
Making highlight reel grabs by week, including a ridiculous touchdown catch against the Rams in Week 5 shown above, and consistently displaying the footwork of an Olympic gymnast finishing his toe-taps along the sideline, Lockett once again shattered his personal record books. Even with opponents catering game plans toward slowing him down, he amassed 82 receptions, 1,057 receiving yards, and eight touchdown receptions.
Though Wilson didn’t post a perfect passer rating throwing to him this year, he wasn’t far off, completing 74.5 percent of his whopping 110 targets to Lockett. The duo also hooked up for a touchdown in Seattle’s 28-23 loss in Green Bay, again showing their uncanny abilities to hook up on extended plays.
Away from the field, Lockett remained an interesting man of many interests, publishing his own poetry book titled “Reflections,” which was released on April 15.
Still only 27 years old, Lockett has a chance to take yet another step forward in 2020 as he climbs in the ranks of the NFL’s elite receivers. But ultimately, as one of the team’s unsung leaders, his eyes remain on the biggest prize: getting to the Super Bowl for the first time in his career.
After watching a young team grow throughout an 11-win season and nearly climb out of an 18-point halftime hole to advance to the NFC Championship Game, he’s eager to see what the Seahawks will achieve moving forward.
“I think the sky is the limit. I really think a lot of the young guys got their feet wet and they’re able to produce at a high-level understanding what it’s like to be in the NFL, understanding what it’s like to have a season behind their belt. Now they can come back ready to play and ready to do more things than we probably even expect them to do next year.”
Previous Seahawk Maven award winners:
Comeback Player of the Year: K.J. Wright
Most Improved Player: Rasheem Green
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Germain Ifedi
Rookie of the Year: DK Metcalf
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Jadeveon Clowney
