The Denver Broncos might want to add reinforcements to their defense, and there might be some bargains to be had in luring remaining talented free agents with the chance of winning a Super Bowl.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton put 10-time Pro Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner at the top of his list of available free agents for the Broncos as the future Pro Football Hall of Famer mulls his NFL future.
“Bobby Wagner would solidify the Broncos’ front seven. At 36, he can still cover a lot of ground in space,” Moton wrote on August 10. “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 Justin Strnad and bump Alex Singleton into a backup role.”
On the flip side, the Broncos might be hesitant to upset the apple cart at this point — Strnad and Singleton have both been the de facto starters since signing new contracts in the offseason.
Wagner, who also won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks following the 2012 season, has approximately $118.2 million in career earnings. He has spent the last 2 seasons playing for the Washington Commanders on 1-year contracts.
Bobby Wagner 1 of NFL’s Greatest LBs of All Time
With 162 tackles in 2025, Wagner became just the third player in NFL history to cross 2,000 career tackles and 15th to cross 1,000 career solo tackles.
Former Commanders linebacker London Fletcher (2,039) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis (2,059) are the other 2 players with 2,000 career tackles.
“Bobby Wagner told reporters he has ‘not thought about anything beyond today’ when asked about his playing future,” The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala wrote on X.
Wagner played this season on a 1-year, $9 million contract. Spotrac projects his value in the open market around a 1-year, $7.7 million deal.
Wagner needs just 60 tackles to break Lewis’ career record — something he could very well do by the midseason point in 2026.
Bobby Wagner Named NFL Man of the Year
The final award of the NFL Honors ceremony every year is the one the league regards the highest — the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
Named for the late Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton, who won the award in 1977 and saw it named after him when he died in 1999, it honors the NFL player who makes the biggest impact in their community in any given year.
This year, it went to Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner, who delivered an emotional speech about his family and his late mother, Phenia Mae, who died of a stroke when he was just 19 years old.
Wagner’s Phenia Mae Fund has focused on educating people about the signs of a stroke and providing financial support for families who need it when one of them suffers a stroke and comes home to recover. In recent years, it’s expanded to include helping out HBCUs as well.
Broncos Urged to ‘Solidify’ Defense With 10-Time Pro Bowl Free Agent