John Schneider’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for a rebuild means the Seattle Seahawks’ general manager will focus on refining the roster over the next few months to assemble a championship-worthy team by the onset of the 2024 season.

Schneider faces a daunting task ahead, working alongside salary-cap manager Matt Thomas to navigate tough decisions to achieve cap compliance, retain impending free agents, and potentially recruit external talent.

According to league insiders, a critical area of scrutiny is the wide receiver position, particularly Tyler Lockett. He finished the season with 79 receptions for 904 yards and five touchdowns. With two years remaining on his contract, Lockett is set to earn $16.35 million in base salary next season and $15.3 million in 2025.

The total salary cap hit when you factor in base salary, signing bonus, roster bonus, option, and restructuring lands at $27,845,000 million. That is no small chunk of change. Whereas, the dead cap space the team would eat if they move on is just under 20 million. So the team stands to save almost 9 million if they chose to move on from Tyler.

Given the Seahawks’ uncertain championship prospects in the coming years with their current roster, shedding Lockett’s hefty salary could be advantageous. Despite his continued productivity, Lockett’s performance this season saw a slight regression, marking the first time since 2018 that he fell short of 1,000 receiving yards.

While Lockett remains a solid receiver, Seattle may consider trading him amid the possibility of an impending decline.

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By Vincent Quezada

Photo courtesy of Steph Chambers/ Getty Images

All Contract Info from Spotrac.com