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It’s the time of year where America’s give thanks. It’s also the time of year for NFL fans to begin casting their votes for the Pro Bowl.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf did some campaigning for the ballots on November 22 but not for himself. He urged fans during his press conference on Tuesday to cast votes for fellow Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett.
“He is the most underrated receiver in the league,” Metcalf said about his teammate. “He deserves to be in the Pro Bowl.”
Lockett Leading Seahawks in Major Categories
With his 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame and incredible speed (he ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL combine), Metcalf has become known as the top playmaker in the Seahawks offense.
But back when Metcalf was still in high school, Lockett was already making huge plays in the NFL. In 8 seasons, Lockett has posted 503 receptions, 6,707 receiving yards and 50 touchdowns.
Even with Metcalf joining Seattle in 2015, Lockett has continued to remain a top option in the team’s passing game. Lockett has at least shared the team’s lead in receiving touchdowns twice in the last three seasons.
This year, Lockett is leading the Seahawks in all the top receiving categories. He’s first on the team with 54 receptions, 640 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. Lockett is also second only to running back Kenneth Walker in yards from scrimmage (640) and total touchdowns.
Metcalf has more targets than Lockett, but that simply means the veteran receiver has been more efficient this year than his younger counterpart. Lockett has caught 76.1% of his targets, which is the second-best catch-rate of his career and his best mark in that category since 2018.
Lockett is also not far behind Metcalf in yards per reception. Metcalf is averaging 12.1 yards per catch while Lockett has a 11.9 yards per reception average this year.
Lockett Deserving Pro Bowl Recognition
The 30-year-old receiver earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro bids as a rookie in 2015 but as a returner. In 2015, Lockett returned both a punt and kickoff for a touchdown. He averaged 25.8 yards per kickoff return and 9.5 yards per punt return.
But Lockett has never been voted to the Pro Bowl as a wideout.
That’s shocking considering Lockett has recorded 3 1,000-yard seasons and 2 campaigns with 10 touchdowns. In 2020, Lockett posted 100 receptions for 1,054 yards and 10 touchdowns, but Metcalf was the Seahawks receiver who went to the Pro Bowl.
Of course, Metcalf wasn’t bad that season either. He had 83 catches for 1,303 receiving yards, averaging 15.7 yards per reception, and 10 touchdowns.
For any of the Seattle players who receive Pro Bowl bids, the event is going to look different this season. Rather than an All-Star Game, which has turned into glorified two-hand touch over the past several years, the NFL announced on September 26 that the league’s All-Star event will be transformed into “The Pro Bowl Games.”
Starting at the end of this season, the Pro Bowl Games “will be a week-long celebration of player skills, featuring a new format that spotlights flag football.”
Clearly, Metcalf would like to rectify the wrong that Lockett has never been to the Pro Bowl as a receiver and see him participate in the first ever Pro Bowl Games.
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