The 2023 NFL free agency period is in full swing, and many of the top players on the board have already found new homes. But there is still a wealth of talent on the open market, including star linebacker Bobby Wagner, who most recently completed a season with the Los Angeles Rams.
With Wagner likely looking to join a competitor as he’s in the last nine of his career, which teams are best suited for his services?
Bobby Wagner Free Agency Best Fits
Wagner is a surefire inductee for the Hall of Fame and likely one who will receive his gold jacket as a first-round nominee. The longtime Seattle Seahawks stud has six first-team All-Pro selections and three second-team All-Pro selections to its name. Add that to his eight Pro Bowl honors and there’s no doubt he’ll be anchored in Canton before long.
But Wagner isn’t just a legendary relic of the 2010s. He’s still a hugely effective player, as evidenced by his 2022 second-team All-Pro selection. He’s also proven incredibly durable, even this late in his career. Wagner has not missed a game since 2018 and only missed one competition back then.
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As one of the best all-around defenders in the league, Wagner can jump straight into an opposing team’s starting XI. At 32, it’s almost certain the veteran will only accept offers from teams that have a realistic chance of getting him a second Super Bowl ring.
It also stands to reason that even in the grizzled veteran phase of his career, he’ll still command a sizeable salary. Spotrac estimates it’s worth $9.3 million a year, although I think there’s a reasonable chance it could top that number. Therefore, the available salary cap space should also be considered when deciding which landing spots make the most sense.
The Buffalo Bills could use Linebacker reinforcements
The Buffalo Bills are a Super Bowl contender; that much is certain. Yes, they’ve disappointed in the playoffs in recent seasons, but with Josh Allen under center and general manager Brandon Beane assembling one of the best rosters in the league, there’s no question the Bills will play meaningful football in January.
There is a need here too. The Bills lost LB Tremaine Edmunds to the Chicago Bears after the rebuilding team in the Windy City lured the rising defenseman with a massive contract. Buffalo renewed Matt Milano and re-signed Tyler Matakevich, but the addition of Wagner would do wonders to bolster what can continue to be a dangerous defensive unit.
Wagner and Milano would instantly form one of the most experienced and talented inside linebacker duos in the NFL. You probably couldn’t find a better pair of field generals to take the field together for a team. Wagner wouldn’t fully heal the long-term wound of losing a young stud like Edmunds, but Buffalo is stepping up now. The future can wait.
According to overthecap.com, the team currently has $10.8 million in cap space available. With restructuring to the likes of C. Mitch Morse and S. Micah Hyde, more can be clarified. It would be a financial drain, but Beane could probably make it work.
Will the Dallas Cowboys make it big at Linebacker?
Around the beginning of the free agency era, NFL Network’s Jane Slater reported that Wagner and the Dallas Cowboys had “at least some talks, preliminary talks.”
The idea of Wagner ending up in Dallas has been floating around for a while, and if he’s looking to fight back, the Cowboys certainly make sense in that regard. As far as cap rank goes, the team has plenty of room and currently sits in the top 5 in the league.
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Dallas brought back Leighton Vander Esch on a short-term, relatively cheap contract, but the fifth-year linebacker’s health was always a question. A team like Dallas looking to win now could certainly use a reliable star veteran presence inside their LB unit.
Putting Wagner alongside Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, Demarcus Lawrence and recently acquired Stephon Gilmore would give the ‘Boys one of the most talented defensive lines in the league. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who coached Wagner in Seattle, would certainly agree.
Could Wagner return to where it all began with the Seattle Seahawks?
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Wagner’s second run in Seattle could make a lot of sense for both sides as long as the longtime Seahawks linebacker believes his old team has what it takes to fight for anything. There’s no doubt head coach Pete Carroll’s side isn’t as it was when Wagner and his defensive teammates formed the Legion of Boom, but the team proved in 2022 that they’re still competitive.
It even sounds like both sides raised the idea. Seahawks CEO John Schneider explained as much on Seattle Sportsand said, “Pete Carroll and I got to talk to him, and we had a great, great, open conversation, so he knows where we are and we know where he is.”
That’s by no means a ringing endorsement of the possibility, but it does show that both sides have explored the idea. In terms of cap space, Seattle has enough to match and sits in the top half of the league.
As for the position, Seattle signed Nick Bellore and secured Devin Bush, former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round champion, but with Jordyn Brooks, who is recovering from a cruciate ligament rupture, and Cody Barton, who leaves on a free basis for the Washington Commanders, further reinforcements are certainly not available not excluded.
Source : www.profootballnetwork.com