Bobby Wagner has made his decision, and the Rams will add another future Hall of Famer to their defense. The longtime Seahawks star is headed to Los Angeles on a five-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
After visiting the Rams last week, Wagner will sign a deal worth $50MM. The contract can pay the 10-year veteran up to $65MM. Wagner visited both the Rams and Ravens but will stay in the NFC West to join the Super Bowl champions’ Aaron Donald– and Jalen Ramsey-led defense. Ex-Wagner teammate Richard Sherman was the first to report the news (on Twitter).
Since signing Donald to an extension in 2018, the Rams have not spent much on the off-ball linebacker position. But they were connected to Wagner immediately after his mid-March Seahawks release. While the Ravens made what they believed to be a competitive offer, the Rams ended up handing out an eight-figure-per-year deal to a non-pass-rushing ‘backer. As a result, they now have two six-time All-Pros on defense, with Wagner and Donald combining for 13 such honors. No active NFLers match either’s All-Pro count.
This amounts to a homecoming for Wagner, who is an L.A. native. The Seahawks drafted Wagner in the second round out of Utah State, on the same day they acquired Russell Wilson, and plugged him in at middle linebacker. Although the Legion of Boom received the most attention on the Seahawks’ Super Bowl defenses, Wagner began his Canton-caliber ascent for those teams. His 2014 return from injury catalyzed Seattle’s run back to the Super Bowl and earned him his initial All-Pro honor. Wagner’s six first-team All-Pro selections, among pure off-ball linebackers, rank behind only Mike Singletary and Ray Lewis (seven apiece) since the AFL-NFL merger.
Wagner, 31, will join 2021 third-round pick Ernest Jones as the Rams’ top second-level defenders. The Rams were prepared to pay Von Miller around $15MM annually. Miller signing with the Bills freed up some money, and Matthew Stafford not venturing into the Aaron Rodgers/Deshaun Watson contract realm did as well. And, as the Rams have done in recent offseasons, they subtracted role players (Darious Williams, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Corbett) in exchange for bigger names (Wagner, Allen Robinson) in free agency.
While the Seahawks felt comfortable parting ways with their defensive anchor, Wagner made a career-high 170 tackles last season, doing so despite missing a game. Wagner has compiled 23.5 sacks and 68 tackles for loss over the course of his career, adding 11 interceptions as well. The Seahawks gave Wagner two extensions — in 2015 and ’19. Wagner’s Rams deal runs closer to the 2015 extension, a four-year, $43MM pact that topped the linebacker market at the time.
From all in to even further all in.
Also fits with their model of maximizing comp picks, since he was cut by his last team. Their strategy of high priced veterans and no first round picks works better when you’re gaming the system to make tons of mid to late round picks.
If they can retain those picks. When it comes time to sign an extension and the Rams are still in “kick the can down the road” mode as they always are, what happens to the available cap space? These deals are good on the field as long as the players live up to them, but what happens when one of these guys declines and has a huge cap hit because of this strategy?
Also the ironic thing is just over 40% of the Rams’ roster is made up of picks from the first three rounds-not all Rams’ picks, of course. More than a third last year came from other teams (9 of 23). So their contributors by and large are mostly high picks, which I would imagine isn’t exclusive to them as a team, but probably higher than average.
They let tons of players walk. This offseason alone, they’ve lost Von, Joseph-Day, Darious Williams, Austin Corbett. Last year they lost Johnson and Hill, Ebukam, Reynolds, and Everett. You’re right that their stars and scrubs strategy can blow up with bad injury or aging luck, but churning low picks into productive players and then getting more picks when those guys walk is actually a sustainable supplement to their big spending in trades. A risky one, but it offers a better talent pipeline than most big spenders, who often find themselves with too few draft picks to replenish talent.
It does, but as long as the stars remain capable. Having Aaron Donald as an anchor and defensive disruptor in general makes room for a lot of moves. But if, say, he or Ramsay or Stafford or Wagner suddenly hit their age wall, the Rams are stuck with a bad player with an enormous cap hit and no high pick to replace him.
You do have a point, Oof. I don’t like the strategy one bit, but I suppose we’ll see how long it lasts. In the meantime, L.A. and Tampa can compete to see who can hire the most mercenaries to buy a title. Just my opinion in the minority, I guess.
I don’t disagree. It’s a combustible plan. But hey, they already have one ring more than most teams out of it.
Fair enough, fair enough.
Shades of George Allen
George Allen only made it to one Super Bowl and lost.
Wow! Super super team!!!! Rams are gonna be scary for next 4/5 years wow!
2 years tops. Lol
I remember thinking that then we lost a SB the year after we won one. Lost half the locker room and players left without much of a chance to talk about a contract. I hated to see Bobby leave but understand why. We have a couple years before we can even think about the playoffs.
I hope we don’t get Baker really don’t like the guy. We need to wait until next draft and see how Drew does. I don’t think he is more than a back up but he a good one. They can also use the QB money on DK. We can’t lose him he can be a binkey for DKs binkey.
Yes! Jimmy is best if cut lose. I’d take baker on a narcissistic claused contract. Give him a fair shot to start if he seeks counseling. He won’t. So no big deal. Plus kid is porky. And has no follow thorough. If you wanna be Tom Brady. Copy everything he does. He’s copying John man right now. Lol. Gtfoh
This was an easy match for both sides. Wagner preferred west coast and Rams had the money available after Miller went to Bills. Any other team would have had to significantly overpay him to counter a west coast team, especially the one that just won the SB. And teams like the Ravens won’t overpay. They will re-sign Fortt or Bynes, maybe make a trade for a backup, and then add another backer through the draft.
Waste of money Wagner is shot. Lateral movement is gone as well as his ability to pursue, watch the film as obviously the rams haven’t.
You mean the NFL professionals didn’t ask you first? I’m shocked!
Clearly the Super Bowl champs need to start watching film.
This move is good for Bobby. Who cares about the rams.
Career-high 170 tackles last year and 8th straight season with AV of at least 13…sure he’s down from his peak years, but still far better than average!
We will eat him up with penny and dizzly. He wasn’t washed. He’s washed now. Haha
I see you’ve come to your senses, Rexy. Dude’s washed!
Lol. I was hoping for a 1-2 year deal on the cheap. Now he’s washed. Lol haha.
SMH We all have stupid fans but don’t you hate it when some on your team stick their head up? Need to play whack A Hole.
Wagner is shot? Lateral movement is gone? Those are two dumb comments. Have you watched him play every weekend for the last 10 years? Probably not….
You don’t understand. I’m bitter cuz he didn’t sign back with us. Lol. Re-read with me being the biggest 54 fan on the planet.
Dang it I wanted him to be a raven
Me too. Ravens have in my opinion the best odds for super bowl this year.
I’d rather play in the city of LA than Seattle, too.
I think it came down to LA and Baltimore didn’t it? And Baltimore is beautiful this time of year.
Same
Well SeceretSatan LA is close to Hell for much of the year so no doubt your choice. Also are probably making friends with those elite Hollywood idiots that will spend eternity with you.
Count me in as liking seasons. I also liked Seattle more before the Californians moved in raised the cost of living along with house prices. Worst they with all the Tech buddies made this State take a sharp left. You stay in LA and like it fine with the people here that love it.
That’s a lot of years and money for an aging vet who’s already showed signs of slowing down. My guess is the Rams don’t care much about the middle to back end of that contract though. They’ll get an above average player for a year and then his decline will make him overpaid.
Rams will be favourite for super bowl again
Still could try get OBJ back on a cheaper deal.
But considering they love to add star players and big names, but are running out of cap space I’d love to see them add a bunch of vets on cheaper deals. They are the current champs, and favourites, plus they are in LA it will attract talent to come at a discount.
Just some names like Anthony Barr, Joe Haden, AJ Bouye, Richard Sherman, Jaquiski Tartt, Takkarist McKinley, LDT, Trai Turner and Bryan Bulaga.
I think you get a guard on the o line, some help in the secondary and another player in the front of that defence your most likely going back to back.
My favourites would be Turner, Bouye, Tartt and McKinley.