Notebook: What Seahawks said about Tyler Lockett’s future with team

RENTON, Wash. – At one point during Tuesday’s news conference in which he was introduced as the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak rattled off names of players he’s excited to coach.

“(Quarterback) Geno Smith, (receivers) DK Metcalf, Jaxon (Smith-Njigba), (left tackle) Charles Cross, the list goes on,” Kubiak said. “There are a lot of really dang good football players on this roster that I’d love to coach.”

Kubiak didn’t mention Tyler Lockett. Maybe the omission wasn’t intentional and he simply named players who came readily to mind.

Speculation has been strong for months that Lockett won’t be with the team next season because of his age (he turns 33 in September) and a contract that includes a hefty cap hit of $30.8 million in 2025. The Seahawks can save $17 million if Lockett is released.

Coach Mike Macdonald did nothing to tamp down those rumblings when he was asked near the end of the news conference if Lockett will be on the roster next season.

“I think we’re working through that right now,” Macdonald said. “But those decisions will happen probably when the time comes in the next month or two.”

March 17 is when Lockett is due a $5.3 million bonus if he remains on the roster. A decision is likely to come before then.

Players due to become unrestricted free agents can begin negotiating with other teams March 10.

Under general manager John Schneider, the Seahawks have often tried to give veteran players a head start on finding a new home by releasing them before the negotiating period begins. Players who are cut are known as street free agents and can sign with another team at any time.

The Seahawks could try to work out something with Lockett to allow him to stay, but the team has typically decided to move on from high-salaried veterans once it became clear their roles may be diminishing.

Lockett talked openly during the season that it might be his last in Seattle, including when he met with reporters for roughly 10 minutes following the season finale in Los Angeles on Jan. 5, saying, “Maybe this isn’t the end, maybe this is the end, but I will always be a Seahawk through and through.”

Coaching staff just about set

The Seahawks announced the hiring of offensive line coach John Benton and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko – which had already been reported – as well as the addition of Michael Byrne as an offensive assistant, which was not previously known.

Macdonald said there “might be a couple additions” to the 28-man coaching staff.

Otherwise, the coaching staff is set as Macdonald said, “Everybody that’s here (now) will be here.”

That includes bringing the defensive coaching staff back almost intact.

Only one defensive coach departed – Nick Perry, who spent last year as a defensive assistant and took a job as the defensive-backs coach at Arkansas.

Perry’s spot on the staff was filled by adding former Seahawk Neiko Thorpe as a defensive assistant/special-teams coach. Thorpe spent last season as a player engagement/football operations assistant.

Defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott – who was the lone holdover in 2024 from Pete Carroll’s former staff – reportedly interviewed with Carroll for a spot with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Carroll and the Raiders have since filled out their major defensive coaching positions, including retaining Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator.

Byrne played quarterback at Pacific Lutheran, where he graduated in 2009 with a degree in history. He was a two-year starter and an All-Northwest Conference selection as a senior in 2008.

He embarked on a coaching career that included five seasons in two offensive coaching roles at Texas A&M as well as spending the 2019-21 seasons at PLU in roles such as a defensive assistant, offensive assistant and director of football analytics.

He also worked as an analyst at Pro Football Focus before spending last season as a coaching assistant with the Saints working with Kubiak, Benton and Janocko.

Return of the fullback?

One unique feature of Kubiak’s offenses in his previous stops has been the use of a fullback.

Fullback Adam Prentice played 25% of snaps with New Orleans last season and C.J. Ham played 33% in 2021 with the Vikings when Kubiak was the OC.

The Seahawks did not have a fullback on their roster last season after deciding not to retain veteran Nick Bellore, who signed with Washington.

Kubiak said the Seahawks will have a fullback in 2025.

Exactly who that will be remains the question. Macdonald said one option that can be ruled out is second-year defensive tackle Byron Murphy II.

Murphy got one snap at fullback in 2024 in the loss to the Vikings and played it some in college at Texas.

Macdonald stopped a question about Murphy playing fullback by saying, “Byron’s not going to be our starting fullback. He might be there (some), but he’s not going to start.”

Kubiak said all options will be considered including using tight ends in fullback roles, something the Seahawks did on occasion in 2024.

“We’re going through that process now with (general manager) John (Schneider) and Mike,: Kubiak said. “But I think we’re going to take a look at all those things. I’m excited about the guys we do have on the roster. We will play tight ends in the fullback position, for sure. But that’s a process right now.”

Kubiak comfortable on field or in booth

One question for any coordinator is whether to call the plays from the press box or on the field.

Ryan Grubb called plays from the press box last season.

Kubiak said he has done both, calling the plays from the press box when he was offensive coordinator with Minnesota in 2021 and on the field last season with New Orleans.

Kubiak said he hasn’t decided what he’ll do with the Seahawks.

“I think there’s advantages to both,” he said. “(We’ll) get a feel for that, how we’re going to attack that as we get closer to the season.”