Bobby Wagner’s free agency decision might be imminent, if Richard Sherman’s teasing tweet is to be believed. He’s drawn interest from the Rams, Ravens and Cowboys since the Seahawks cut him, though Dallas is reportedly out of the running now.
So it would seem to be down to the Rams and Ravens, both of which are good options for the six-time All-Pro linebacker. The Rams would love to have him in the middle of their defense, with Sean McVay and Les Snead admitting as much. But they shouldn’t lose too much sleep if he picks the Ravens (or another team).
Wagner is seeking $11 million for one year, according to Peter King. The Rams are interested, but not at that price – hardly surprising for a team that’s constantly doing cap gymnastics just to keep enough space available to fill out their roster.
Wagner is worth $11 million per year. That would put him ninth at the position in annual salary, and he’s certainly better than the ninth-best linebacker in football. But for the Rams, paying big money for a player at a position that they never put much value in would be atypical.
That’s especially true when you consider the Rams already have Ernest Jones on the roster, who was a third-round pick last year and showed plenty of promise as a rookie in 2021. They also retained Travin Howard with the $2.54 million tender, which isn’t exactly pennies; he has the 15th-highest cap hit on the team.
Again, Wagner would absolutely help this defense in a big way. But not to the point where the Rams should go way over their budget. They have bigger holes to fill right now, including cornerback and edge rusher – two positions where it’s more difficult to find immediate starters in the draft.
Fans desperately want the Rams to sign Wagner. It’s easy to see why. They’ve struggled to replace Cory Littleton and haven’t had a true playmaker at the position in years. But they already invested in Jones and have Howard on the roster, too.
They should stick to their number with Wagner and if he picks another team, they should pivot to cornerback or linebacker – just as they did when Von Miller left, turning their attention to wide receiver with Allen Robinson.
