Tyler Lockett’s expanded role in the Seattle Seahawks offense comes with a price. The team loves what he brings as both a kick and a punt returner, but they don’t want to overburden him with those responsibilities while he’s also taking over as the team’s No. 1 receiving option.
Although coach Pete Carroll hasn’t confirmed anything, that likely means that someone else will handle return duties next season.
Lockett handled every punt return last season, as well as 19 of the team’s 29 total kick returns, so someone will have some big shoes to fill if the Seahawks decide to make a change.
That someone appears to be hybrid running back/wide receiver J.D. McKissic, who handled one kick last year but has been working out at that spot over the offseason.
“J.D McKissic has always been one of the guys we’ve liked putting back there,” Carroll said during minicamp. “He can catch punts and kickoffs. That’s the first guy we think of so that would be the guy we go to.”
As is customary in Carroll’s culture of competition, McKissic won’t just be handed the return duties. The team has also worked out each of the rookie receivers back there, as well as Keenan Reynolds, David Moore, Amara Darboh and even rookie safety Ugo Amadi.
However, Carroll’s acknowledgment that McKissic is the first guy that comes to mind is telling and points to him earning that role next season unless someone else turns heads during training camp, which begins in just over a month.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that the team doesn’t just let Lockett continue to return while also taking on an even bigger role in the offense.
