Tyler Lockett questionable for Seahawks at Chargers. He’s missed only 2 games in 8 seasons

Gregg Bell

Tyler Lockett has missed only two games in seven seasons. It took him breaking his leg then getting COVID-19 to miss those.

Yet it’s questionable whether the Seahawks’ captain and leading receiver will play Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers.

Seattle gave Lockett that injury designation Friday. He again did not participate in the start of practice that was open to the media. He stood in the back with a hood over his head as his teammates warmed up for the workout in the Seahawks’ indoor practice facility.

Lockett has not practiced this week since his two catches for 17 yards last weekend against Arizona’s bracket coverage of a safety high and a cornerback low. He played on a sore hamstring.

Lockett missed one practice last week then played.

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson (20) breaks up a pass by Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) that was intended for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) during the fourth quarter of an NFL game on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson (20) breaks up a pass by Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) that was intended for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) during the fourth quarter of an NFL game on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, at Lumen Field in Seattle.

If he can’t play against the Chargers, expect more of veteran Marquise Goodwin playing with DK Metcalf. Goodwin has just six catches in five games.

Reserve wide receiver and special-teams player Penny Hart is doubtful to play against L.A. He has a hamstring injury.

Expect Seattle offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to use more of the three tight-end formations he’s featured often in games this season, with Noah Fant, Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson. Fant had a season-high six catches last weekend against the Cardinals. Dissly leads the Seahawks with three touchdown receptions.

Lockett has 34 catches for 423 yards and two touchdowns. Both of his scores came on long passes from Geno Smith two games ago in Seattle’s 39-32 loss at New Orleans.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett silences the crowd after catching a touchdown pass from quarterback Geno Smith during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Derick Hingle)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett silences the crowd after catching a touchdown pass from quarterback Geno Smith during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Derick Hingle)

The two games Lockett has missed since the Seahawks drafted him into the league in 2015:

  • Jan. 1, 2017, the finale of the ‘16 regular season against San Francisco. That was one week after he broke his leg on a pass from Russell Wilson on Christmas Eve, 2016, during a home game against Arizona.

  • Dec. 21, 2021: Lockett tested positive for COVID days before the game, during an outbreak of coronavirus variant cases across the league. The NFL postponed that game against the Los Angeles Rams from a Sunday to the Tuesday afternoon before Christmas.

Lockett called having COVID 10 months ago “very exhausting.” He lost eight pounds.

“I could barely move,” he said last December. “I was very, very anxious.”

Veteran guard Gabe Jackson hasn’t practiced all week because of an ongoing knee injury. He is doubtful to play at Los Angeles. Phil Haynes is ready for his fifth career start and second consecutive one for Jackson at right guard Sunday.

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