Back in March, when Tyler Lockett hit free agency after a decade with the Seahawks, the Cowboys were one of the first teams to show interest. The connection made sense—Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer had previously worked with Lockett in Seattle, where Lockett achieved career-high touchdown seasons. Analysts noted that Lockett’s familiarity with Schottenheimer’s system could make him an ideal fit as a reliable No. 2 receiver alongside CeeDee Lamb. However, nah. Dallas apparently wasn’t the right fit for Tyler. The Titans were—who came in and snagged the 32-year-old veteran receiver on a one-year $4 million deal, just a day before drafting their franchise quarterback, Cam Ward. But why the Titans?

Well, to answer that, Lockett’s uncle, Aaron Lockett, who’s actually his agent as well, sat down for an EssentiallySports exclusive interview and discussed why the Titans were a right fit for his nephew.

Aaron, as you know, is a certified NBPA/FIBA Agent. Having spent most of his career understanding the grind on the gridiron, Aaron transitioned into a football agent. Make no mistake, Aaron didn’t sacrifice his ball knowledge to learn the ropes of an agent. Instead, he simply added finances, operations, and business development to his arsenal. So, if there’s anybody who knows what led Tyler to Music City, it’s him. When our host, Andrew Whitelaw, asked Aaron how excited he was to see his nephew join the Titans. Aaron didn’t hide his feelings at all. He was like, “Yeah, I mean obviously.”

Then he went on to spill the strategy behind Tyler’s move to Tennessee. “So, Tyler’s one of our clients as well, right? And so you know, part of those conversations around what makes sense for him right and so while Tyler’s situation is a little bit different, right, because he’s not coming in as a six-foot-three, 200-pound receiver, as an ex-guy, he’s coming in more of a slot. And so they’re strategic around where does he fit.” See, Tyler Lockett isn’t your typical receiver.

Standing at 5-foot-10 and weighing 182 pounds, the guy’s definitely categorized as a slot receiver due to his size and skill-set. But before we get on that, let’s not forget that this label doesn’t fully encompass his versatility. In a career spanning a decade, Lockett has excelled both as a slot receiver and an outside receiver. Remember his rookie season?

The guy lined up on the outside for 65.6% of his routes, with 63% of his 664 receiving yards coming from that position. But later on, his proficiency as a slot receiver is well-documented. Remember the 2019 season? Yeah, the veteran receiver led the league with six TD receptions with a passer rating of 122.9 from the slot.

And now, if we round all that up, it’s safe to say that Aaron Lockett wasn’t talking the talk when he said that Tyler’s situation was different for picking the right team for him on the exclusive interview with EssentiallySports. And one of the major reasons why Tennessee was their top choice is because the team was projected to draft Cam Ward at 1st overall, the guy who has a history of connecting with slot receivers. “There were a couple of teams that had an interest in him,” he continued…

“So while Tennessee is where we settled, we think there’s a great opportunity left that they drafted Cam Ward, right? He’s got a young, fiery quarterback that’s going to let it rip. And so for him, I think he’s experienced enough to be in the right place at the right time, and I think he’ll build confidence with him.” Translation?

Well, see it this way: with a rookie QB and the projected franchise QB for the Titans, a veteran like Tyler Lockett is kind of a magic combination—at least that’s what Tyler Lockett’s uncle believes.

It’s all about Tyler Lockett and Cam Ward’s chemistry

Before joining the Titans as their franchise QB, Cam Ward stopped by a few schools during his collegiate career. The guy started his collegiate career at Incarnate Word, then transferred to Washington State before eventually landing in Miami. And if there’s one thing that Ward had mastered across his 5 seasons in college football, it’s that he managed to adjust to all kinds of playbooks. That’s why Aaron Lockett was certain that the Titans will pick him at first overall.

“I think if you look at the intangibles, right? He started off at Incarnate Word, went to Washington State, and then went to Miami, right?” Continuing on our Essentiallysports exclusive interview, Lockett said, “When you take a quarterback that can learn an offense that quickly and be that productive at three different schools, I think that’s something that you have to take into account, because that’s what the NFL is expecting you to come and do, right? Learn to playbook, be a leader, put people in the right position at the end of the day, and win games.” 

His résumé, you ask? Across five seasons at three different colleges, the guy had over 18k yards at a completion rate of 65.0, and racked up 158 touchdowns with a track record of 35-22. Now, picture this: combining Ward with a veteran wide receiver like Tyler Lockett? Yeah, their chemistry will be something to notice.“It’s always about the chemistry”, Aaron further noted on the FanCast exclusive when asked about Tyler and Cam’s combination. “And so obviously, new individuals are working together, but luckily, they have OTAs in the off-season to get it together.” 

But what makes this whole Ward-Lockett thing click in the best possible way? See, during his final season, Ward’s primary receiver was Xavier Restrepo, who was also a slot receiver. We’re talking about a guy who racked up 1,127 yards, 11 TDs, and joined the PFF’s top 101 list in 2024. Safe to say the Titans’ QB knows a thing or two about how to throw at someone like Tyler.