The Dallas Cowboys are prime candidates to draft a skill-position player with the No. 12 overall pick in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft, but their playmaking needs extend well beyond whoever that selection ends up being.
Dallas locked in quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to massive multiyear extensions last offseason, but the cupboard is relatively bare beyond those two names. As far as free agency goes, one name that is garnering serious heat in Dallas is Tyler Lockett.
"Lockett, who was released by the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, should be a top target for Dallas ahead of the draft," Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report wrote on Saturday, April 5. "The 32-year-old caught 49 passes for 600 yards as Seattle's third receiver last season and has experience playing under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer."
Lockett most recently inked a two-year, $30 million contract with Seattle. However, Spotrac projects his market value at just $7.7 million on a new one-year deal.
If Dallas added Lockett, it is reasonable to assume that he might immediately step into a role as either Prescott's No. 2 or 3 target.
Tight end Jake Ferguson remains on the roster, and the team added veteran receiver Parris Campbell this offseason. The Cowboys also acquired running backs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, as well as quarterback Joe Milton III this offseason.
But despite those additions, Dallas remains connected to Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty at No. 12, should he fall that far, as well as Arizona wideout Tetairoa McMillan in the first round.
Lockett isn't a long-term solution given his age and downward-trending statistics, but he can provide veteran leadership and quality WR2/WR3 numbers for a Dallas team in serious need of some offensive juice ahead of the 2025 campaign.
This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.
