In one of the more surprising moves of the offseason, the Los Angeles Rams and Bobby Wagner decided to part ways. It was a mutual decision, with Wagner seeking a new opportunity elsewhere and the Rams looking to clear cap space.
The Rams didn’t make Wagner’s release official until 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday when the new league year began, choosing to wait rather than cutting him when the move was first announced. It seemed like they might make him a post-June 1 cut in order to free up an additional $3 million in cap space this year, but that’s not the case.
According to the NFL transaction list, Wagner was a traditional cut with no post-June 1 designation. That means the Rams will save $5 million in cap space this year and take on $7.5 million in dead money. Had he been a post-June 1 cut, they would’ve saved $8 million this year, but they wouldn’t have gotten that savings until June.
It would’ve spread out the $7.5 million in dead money across the next two years: $4.5 million this year and $3 million next year. Instead, the Rams are choosing to eat all of the dead money this year so they don’t hurt their cap situation in 2024.
Wagner was a stud for the Rams last season, recording 140 tackles, six sacks and two interceptions. He was PFF’s highest-graded linebacker and earned second-team All-Pro honors.
