Since Pete Carroll was hired as Las Vegas Raiders head coach, the idea he'd want to "put the band back together" with players who played for him in Seattle has been easy. The move to trade for quarterback Geno Smith obviously fits that bill, as does the reported effort to trade for a current Seahawks' running back (even if it was the wrong one).
The Raiders still have a void at wide receiver. They seem sure to draft one, but a proven commodity who can also help Carroll install a new culture has seemed like an ideal fit from the moment Carroll was hired. That it hasn't happened yet is surprising.
On a recent episode of the Just Win podcast, Vic Tafur of The Athletic talked about the Raiders' wide receiver situation and the prospect of adding someone.
Raiders insider expects signing that has felt inevitable since Pete Carroll was hired
“As far as the receiver goes, I think there are some veteran guys still in this market… I still think Tyler Lockett probably winds up here. I think he’s waiting to see how this market goes, and I think Stefon Diggs was the last domino to fall,” Tafur said on the Just Win podcast.
"He (Diggs) got more, probably, than people thought he was going to get, so I think for Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper, [they are] kind of waiting to see if they can get something close to that and Lockett probably is after that. I think it happens at some point, they’ll a veteran guy to the mix, because right now their depth at wide receiver is not very good. I think you need another one before the draft.”
With diminished production and a reduced role last season, as Jaxon Smith-Njigba fully emerged, Lockett was an easy cap casualty by the Seahawks before free agency started. Moving toward his age-33 season his days as a top-end receiver are over, but he is still plenty capable. Familiarity and the intangibles he brings to the equation further drives the easy fit with the Raiders.
Stefon Diggs getting the bloated (if only on the surface) contract he got from the New England Patriots seems to have stalled the secondary free agent market at wide receiver. Lockett would also presumably need little (if any) time to get back in sync with Smith, so a late signing (say after the draft) would not be detrimental.
It has taken longer than was easy to expect, but the Raiders signing Lockett still feels inevitable. When the time is right, it should happen.