One position of need that the Carolina Panthers will likely look to address in free agency is the wide receiver spot. Last offseason, the Panthers believed they had found their veteran WR1 in Diontae Johnson to join Adam Thielen and rookie Xavier Legette.
However, the Johnson era did not last long in the Queen City. He only played seven games before being traded to the Baltimore Ravens before the deadline. Now the Panthers will look to find another receiver to join Thielen, Legette, and Jalen Coker.
Carolina will likely not be in the running for Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams (free agent), Stefon Diggs (free agent), and D.K. Metcalf. That said, the Panthers can still find value in the free agent WR market, which includes a veteran pass catcher with ties to head coach Dave Canales.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Seattle Seahawks released wideout Tyler Lockett, who spent 10 seasons in the Pacific Northwest. Lockett was scheduled to make $17 million in 2025 but will have the chance to pick his new destination.
Seahawks are releasing an all-time franchise great, wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who piled up 8,594 receiving yards and 61 touchdowns across 10 seasons in Seattle. The Seahawks are opting to release Lockett rather than pay him his $17 million salary for this season, including a… https://t.co/jIBZvdrRx3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2025
The 32-year-old Lockett saw his production dip dramatically in 2024 as Jaxon Smith-Njigba became a more integral part of the offense in his second year. That said, Lockett still had 49 receptions (74 targets) for 600 yards and two touchdowns.
If you took Lockett’s stats and threw them on the Panthers, the veteran wideout would be tied for first in receptions with Legette, and second in receiving yards behind Thielen (615).
The veteran wide receiver also has ties to Canales as the Panthers head coach was in Seattle with Lockett. When Lockett was drafted in 2015 by the Seahawks, Canales was Seattle’s WRs coach.
Canales worked exclusively with Lockett for three years (2015-17) as the wide receivers coach before being promoted to quarterbacks coach (2018-19), passing game coordinator (2020-21), and going back to quarterback coach in 2022. The Panthers head coach started his tenure in Seattle as an offensive quality control coach (2010-12).
Even though Lockett is on the other side of 30 years old, the veteran receiver would be a solid WR3 in the slot to pair with young QB Bryce Young.
Lockett has good hands with a 70.5 catch percentage in his career and can still stretch the field. The Panthers’ offense showed signs of growth in 2024, now it's time for them to take the next step.