Getty Rick Wagner blocks for Matthew Stafford in 2019.
The Detroit Lions have gotten their offseason going with another release, this one along the team’s offensive line. Offensive tackle Rick Wagner is the latest player set to receive his walking papers.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Lions are making the move to slice Wagner from the roster. That will save Detroit $9 million dollars ahead of what figures to be a busy 2020 offseason for the team in free agency.
Source: The #Lions are releasing RT Rick Wagner, who was set to make $9M in 2020. A former free agent signing, as Detroit clears some space.
The team quickly confirmed the news with their own release.
Wagner was signed in free agency by the Lions a few years back, but has struggled with consistency and health while also having a bloated contract, which made him an easy target this offseason.
Lions Faced Difficult Roster Choice With Rick Wagner
Will the team move on from Rick Wagner this offseason? That’s something to watch according to Bleacher Report. Writer Brad Gagnon put together a list of the toughest contract decisions every team will have to make, and according to him, the Lions have a big choice to make with Wagner.
Detroit has to decide whether or not to keep Wagner in the mix. Here’s what Gagnon wrote about the decision:
“Quarterback Matthew Stafford isn’t going anywhere with his dead-cap number ($32 million), and the Detroit Lions have already admitted they’re looking to trade cornerback Darius Slay ahead of a contract year. That leaves right tackle Rick Wagner’s contract as the most interesting deal on the payroll.
Wagner is due to make $11.9 million in each of the next two years, but the team can save $6.1 million by parting ways right now. The right tackle is on the wrong side of 30, he’s missed time in each of his three seasons in Detroit and he’s been far from reliable of late.
Are the Lions trying to contend? Or rebuild? It’s a little confusing considering rumors regarding Stafford, Slay trade chatter and last year’s decision to jettison starting safety Quandre Diggs. Regardless, they’ll have to decide if it’s worth keeping Wagner around for the experience and continuity that he brings to the line, or if they’re better off pocketing more than $6 million and getting younger at that position.”
Now that the team has released Wagner, it opens a big hole up front along the offensive line that will have to be dealt with.
Why Rick Wagner Became Lions Roster Casualty
The Lions haven’t gotten great results out of Wagner since signing him to a lucrative contract a few years back, and he’s seen injury as well as other troubles get in the way of him becoming a fantastic player. That’s tough too, considering Wagner’s contract status. He’s got an $11.9 million dollar cap hit this season, which is a high total. If the Lions want to save some money, they could release Wagner, even though it would open up another hole up front. They’ll have to weigh the potential savings against what Wagner has done on the field as they try to make their decision.
If the team was to replace Wagner, they would have the choice of either signing a free agent, going young with a player they’re developing like Tyrell Crosby or drafting another player at tackle in order to pitch in and start up front. Those are the options they’ll face now.
Lions Cap Space in 2020
Detroit will have a decent chunk of change to spend this offseason, having restructured Matthew Stafford’s deal to push their cap space to around $50 million dollars for the coming season. With this money, the money saved from releasing Damon Harrison and the $9 million from releasing Wagner, the Lions have a bit more to spend.
The Lions could always open up more space with a few more savvy moves, and there could be other cap casualties that might impact the team’s final salary number more dramatically.
Either way, the choice has now been made for the Lions.