Getty Free agent LB Bobby Wagner.
Heading into free agency, the Las Vegas Raiders clearly needed to upgrade the defense. There were some high-profile players available to the team but they haven’t spent much money outside of the addition of safety Marcus Epps. Las Vegas is taking a patient approach in free agency, which could be a good strategy but they have to nail the draft.
While the Raiders have missed out on many top free agents, there are still some very good players available. Perhaps the best defender left is linebacker Bobby Wagner. The eight-time Pro Bowler mutually agreed to part ways with the Los Angeles Rams recently but he’s still playing at a high level. Offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor, who re-signed with the Raiders on Thursday, has tried his hand at recruiting Wagner to Las Vegas.
Yo @Bwagz Come to the Raiders ?
For what it’s worth, Wagner has liked the tweet from Eluemunor. That’s hardly a contract commitment to the team but it shows that he’s at least thinking about the idea of wearing silver and black next season. Some fans pointed out that the linebacker changed his profile picture on Twitter to a pair of dice. That could have many meanings but dice are commonly associated with the city of Las Vegas.
Do Raiders Make Sense for Wagner?
If the Raiders signed Wagner, he’d be the best linebacker the team has had in two decades. Even at 32, he’s still one of the best players at the position. Linebacker has been a mess for the Raiders for a long time and adding Wagner would finally fix that issue, at least for the next couple of seasons.
However, it might not make much sense for either side. Wagner isn’t getting any younger and wants to compete for Super Bowls. He has one ring from his time with the Seattle Seahawks but he’s going to want another one. The Raiders don’t have a roster that is close to competing for a Super Bowl next season. Wagner is from Los Angeles, California, so coming to Las Vegas would keep him close to home. Outside of that, there’s not really much of a reason for him to realistically consider signing with the Raiders. Considering how frugal the team has been this offseason, they might not have much interest in giving him a big contract.
Marcus Epps Talks Joining Raiders
Speaking of players from Los Angeles, the Raiders recently added one. Safety Marcus Epps is coming from Philadelphia and will be much closer to home. He’s from Los Angeles and went to high school in Huntington Beach, California. He’s only around a four-hour drive to his hometown. That played a role in his decision to sign with the Raiders.
“Yeah, definitely,” Epps said during his March 16 introductory press conference. “Got some uncles that are Raider fans. My uncle actually lives here in Vegas. So, a lot of people back home around the LA area are Raider fans, so I’m really excited for this opportunity.”
It will now be much easier for Epps’ family to come to see him play live. That was a big reason why star wide receiver Davante Adams wanted to come to the team. The Raiders are a struggling franchise but the team’s location certainly has helped them land some key players.