Bobby Wagner went here he was wanted. That may be the hardest thing to digest about the Seahawks sending the best defender in the history of their franchise away. Not only did they release their eight-time Pro Bowl GOAT middle linebacker, they apparently didn’t even offer him a paycut before they did so without even telling him.
Wagner spent a few weeks on the free agent market going over his choices. In the end, he signed a surprisngly-large five-year deal with the NFC West rival Rams, worth up to $65 million if he hits all his incentives. Wagner says he was recruited by both Rams DT Aaron Donald and CB Jalen Ramsey.
Here’s what Wagner told ESPN Seattle Sports 710 AM about getting recruited by LA’s two defensive superstars.
“Wagner said that when he was released, two Rams defensive stars – defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey – reached out to talk to him about “how great it would be to kind of team up…’ Wagner said that having Donald, one of the best defenders in NFL history, push to get him to join the Rams was ‘humbling.’ I’m just excited to be around those guys,” he said. “It’s a lot of energy, a lot of people who seem to love what they do.”
Before they won the Super Bowl, the Rams had already been dominating their series with the Seahawks, having won eight of the last 10 matchups. By adding Wagner they addressed their greatest need on this side of the ball, completing the picture with an elite playmaker at all three levels.
As offseason activities begin around the league, the AFC looks to be a horror-show of incredibly competitive teams. Meanwhile, Los Angeles should be an easy favorite to once again win an NFC conference that’s notably weaker than last year.
