Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett: QB competition in Seattle will help 'build something truly special'

For the first time in Tyler Lockett's eight-year career, he'll be catching passes from someone other than Russell Wilson in Seattle.

The trade of the Super Bowl-winning quarterback has opened the door to a quarterback competition between Geno Smith and Drew Lock. While no winner will be crowned this early in the process, Lockett likes what he's seen from both signal-callers during organized team activities.

"It's something that's new, but it's something that's very interesting to see when it comes to that competitive nature -- two people, three people being able to compete for a spot," the wideout said via the team's official website. "… It's just that competitive nature that takes you to different places that not having to be competitive doesn't take you. And so I think it's just something that's new, and I think it's something that's very interesting. I love to see it, because sometimes we've got to remember that this is a business, and business does want that competitive nature. And we do want that competitive edge, but being able to compete each and every day, to sharpen iron with iron, I think that helps us build something truly special.

"Drew's doing good, Geno is doing good, (Jacob) Eason is doing good, and whatever happens is going to happen, but as a whole we all want to be able to make sure we're doing our part, and I think everyone's doing it so far."

While Lock is currently projected as the starter, don't discount Smith from swiping the gig. He's been in Seattle two years, knows the offense and has the trust of coach Pete Carroll. With Carroll's insistence upon leaning on the run game offensively in order to not put the defense in bad spots, as the veteran in the competition, Smith could be a starter for the first time since 2014.

Lockett noticed Smith has extra fire, given a chance to be a starter for the first time in years. 

"He hasn't had a chance to be able to play in a couple of years, so when you have that opportunity right there in front of you, what else do you need?" Lockett said. "... This is an opportunity that all of us wait for."

Lock is the more physically gifted of the two passers, but bad turnovers and erratic play undercut his three seasons in Denver. He was given every opportunity to become the Broncos' starter but could never prove consistent enough. 

Seattle offers a new beginning for the former second-round pick. 

"He can throw the ball," Lockett said of Lock. "Y'all were out here today, he makes great throws… He just has that type of calmness about himself to where he knows what he can do, he's making the throws regardless of where the DB is. He had a couple of really great deep ball throws last week before we had this break. I think he's adjusting really well. Being able to come to a new team, learning the plays -- it's different when you're a receiver learning the plays than when you're a quarterback, when you're a quarterback you're running the plays. So just to be here for what, almost two months, he's done a really great job picking up the plays. We've been installing a lot of heavy stuff, he's been able to pick it up, run with it, and I think he looks really good." 

Carroll's mantra has always been about competing for everything, believing that competition will make all parties better. For years, the QB job was seemingly the only position in Seattle not in a heated battle. That was Wilson's gig, and no one was stealing it. Now, there is a full-on clash for the job. That likely makes Carroll giddy.