When the Seattle Seahawks released cornerback Richard Sherman in the 2018 offseason, the team did so to give Sherman a chance to join a new team before free agency fully got underway. He ended up joining NFC West rival, the San Francisco 49ers, but the team was trying to do Sherman a favor. General manager John Schneider has always tried to treat players fairly.
The team did the same thing this offseason when it let wide receiver Tyler Lockett, in many categories the second-most-productive receiver in franchise history, walk before free agency began. Lockett, if he wants to keep playing, now has a chance to test the proverbial free agency waters. If he doesn't find anything he really likes, Seattle has left the door open for him to return.
The fact is that the NFL is a difficult business. Tough financial decisions are going to be made. Had Lockett maintained his level of being a receiver who had nearly 1,000 yards receiving each year, he might have been kept around by the team, but he isn't that productive anymore. Even worse if the last two seasons have seen a steady decline in him helping the team on the field.
Richard Sherman has some harsh words about the Seattle Seahawks after Tyler Lockett is released
"On the field" is important, of course. In the locker room and in the Seattle community, Lockett is extremely important. He will likely continue to be in the community even if he never plays another down of football. His philanthropic efforts will help more people than his playing football ever did, and that is a good thing.
Still, the team pays players, such as Sherman and Lockett, to be productive, and if that begins to diminish and the player is expensive, a financial decision has to be made. In both of the cases involving those two players, the Seahawks let them go.
On a recent episode of his eponymous Richard Sherman Podcast, the former Seahawks' cornerback delivered a harsh critique of the Seattle football organization. This is especially true, according to Sherman, as it relates to the release of Tyler Lockett.
Sherman said, "I don't know what it would take to retire a Seahawk...I don't know how these other franchises have gotten away with guys playing 15 years with the same franchise and having some loyalty to them, but unfortunately, that's not the way it is with the Seattle Seahawks."
A few things here. First, not many players get 15 years total in their careers in the NFL. 15 years with the same team is exceedingly rare in today's game. Any game, and that means the NBA, Major League Baseball, or the NHL. So Sherman's comment there is simply hyperbole.
Secondly, Sherman knows how the NFL works and knows it is a hard business. He is right about the sadness of fans seeing long-time players leave not by their choosing, though. The issue is that there is a divide between the emotional and the cold-hearted financial. It made sense for Tyler Lockett to be released financially, but emotionally for 12s, Lockett leaving is not a good feeling.
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