The Broncos boast one of the league’s premier defenses. However, their linebacker room is considered one clear weakness on that side of the ball. Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton are a solid but far from spectacular linebacker pairing.
BleacherReport’s Kristopher Knox thinks Denver would be smart to take a chance on 10-time Pro Bowler Bobby Wagner.
“Landing with a Super Bowl contender would make the most sense at this stage in Wagner’s career,” Knox wrote. “The Denver Broncos are expected to be that, and they could certainly use an off-ball linebacker. Justin Strnad is a solid starter, but Alex Singleton has been a liability against the pass, and Denver lacks depth behind those two at inside linebacker.”
That sentiment was also shared by BleacherReport’s Moe Moton, who named Denver as the best landing spot for the future Hall of Famer last week.
“Bobby Wagner would solidify the Broncos’ front seven. At 36, he can still cover a lot of ground in space,” Moton wrote. “Last season, the six-time All-Pro recorded four pass breakups and two interceptions, while allowing an 89.5 passer rating in coverage. The Broncos could pair Wagner alongside Strnad and bump Singleton into a backup role.”
Does Bobby Wagner Still Have Gas Left In His Tank At Age 36?
Bobby Wagner is one of the greatest linebackers of this generation. While the defense he played on in Seattle somewhat hurt his legacy (he’s somewhat of an afterthought when it comes to the Seahawks‘ Legion of Boom days), he’d probably have a claim for one of the best linebackers of all time if he landed in a different situation.
However, every dog has its day. Wagner has never remained unsigned this late into the summer. In fact, whenever he hit the open market in years past, he was never available past March. This is uncharted territory for the 11-time All-Pro, and it’s fair to wonder whether he’s contemplating hanging up the cleats.
In fact, The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala hinted that he had already begun thinking about the prospect of calling it a career, writing that Wagner “has not thought about anything beyond today” back in January.
He showed he could still get it done at a high level last season, finishing the year with another ho hum 162-tackle, 4.5-sack, 2-interception campaign. However, he isn’t nearly as spry as he once was, and would be better utilized in an early-down role at this stage of his career.
Broncos Would Be Better Off Rolling With Their Young Bucks
The Broncos might not boast an elite group of linebackers, but they do have some players with potential. It wouldn’t be advisable to hold your breath for Drew Sanders to finally live up to his second-round draft status.
However, there is hope that Taurean York can significantly outplay his undrafted status. He was a training camp standout playing among Denver’s backups. Meanwhile, Red Murdock, selected with the final pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has also been far from “irrelevant” thus far.
If both players can prove their worth on special teams, then they can provide solid depth at an extremely low cost. The room got a bit lighter when Levelle Bailey broke his leg in the preseason opener against Atlanta, but York and Murdock could provide a similar level of play if they make the cut.
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