The Seattle Seahawks have an appreciation for speedy players. In 2013, they traded with the Vikings for Percy Harvin, giving up first, fourth and seventh-round picks to get him. Speed is in high demand in the NFL and the Seahawks gave Harvin (4.41 dash speed) a six-year contract for $67 million.
As before with the Vikings, and with the Jets and Bills since, Harvin didn’t excel in his year and a half in Seattle. He retired in 2016, came back briefly, but then quickly ended his season due to migraines. As with many small speedsters, Harvin has been prone to injuries throughout his NFL career.
Eager to replace Harvin, the Hawks didn’t sit still during the 2015 draft. The team traded its third, fourth, fifth, and sixth-round picks to the Washington Redskins, in order to move up to select Tyler Lockett in the third round. This helps to explains why Seattle currently has such mediocre offensive linemen.
Lockett came out of Kansas State known as much for his kickoff returner/punt returner skills as for being a wide receiver. At the NFL combine, Lockett recorded a 4.40 40-yard dash time – very fast, but not blazing – on the order of Jeff Janis and Trevor Davis. Unlike these two 6’3” receivers, Lockett is only 5’9” and weighs 182 pounds.
Lockett has been Seattle’s primary kickoff and punt returner going on two years now. He has returned 46 kickoffs for an average of 26.0 yards, along with 65 punt returns for an average of 9.2 yards. These are good, but not eye-popping numbers. In the NFL, he has returned both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns, but these occurred in his first three games as a pro.
Based on his return skills, he was named first team All-Pro and was selected for the Pro Bowl for 2015. He also made the NFL All-Rookie team (as voted by the Pro Football Writers Association) at three positions: wide receiver, punt returner, and kickoff returner.
Lockett has cooled down a bit as a returner in 2016. His 8.8 punt return average ranks him 11th, and his 26.3 kickoff return average is fourth best in the league.
As a receiver, Lockett hasn’t been anything special: 28 catches (out of 49 targets) for 388 yards and a 13.9 yard average per catch. He also has four runs in 2016, but one was a sweep that went for 75 yards and a touchdown last week against Carolina.
Overall, last year’s breakout rookie has scored only one touchdown of any kind on the year – the 75-yard run against unprepared and lackadaisical Carolina defenders. He also currently trails teammates Doug Baldwin, Jimmy Graham, and Jermaine Kearse in receiving yardage. His 388 receiving yards ranks him 102nd in the league.
Lockett is dangerous, but he’s reliant on his blockers – or a mistake in coverage – for getting loose. Coach Pete Carroll will likely have a strategy or gimmick or two for getting Lockett into some open space against the Packers, who have been burned a lot by speedsters over the years.
If nothing else, a good accumulation of snow, or a surface with poor traction, might be just the thing to contain Seattle’s multiple threat.
No gimmick needed. Play him against Randall who needs no snow to lose track(tion).
But then again I read this gem by Kevin Patra : “The Packers stiffened the past two games (not coincidentally coinciding with Damarious Randall’s return), allowing 13 points in each contest…”
So I must have been wrong all the time not?
This kind of stuff is what I call pure gold. I think Rob Born is officially my favorite fan write of any Packers fan site. Occasionally disagree which is to be expected, but most times Rob comes up with some really really good stuff. Shame he only found a position on this site, should have been able to find work for Cheesehead t.v..
Right? I have been saying such for some time. Rob’s contributions actually make this site a better, more informative read.