The Detroit Lions are a team with plenty of needs, especially on defense, as they push toward the 2023 offseason.
With that said, a new suggestion could help them check off one of those needs in a massive way. With the offseason approaching, some fits have been explored in terms of free agents across the league.
Detroit might rate as a fit for plenty of free agents, but only one takes home the title as a “must sign” player in the mind of Football Outsiders as well as ESPN. In an insider piece, the sites looked at fits for every team in the league and a veteran placed as best for the Lions.
According to the post by Aaron Schatz, the Lions should look at veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner as their best fit given the way he has played and how the team could need a veteran boost at the position this offseason.
“For a young defense like this, you want to add a strong veteran for leadership — but a strong veteran who is still playing well. Either Wagner or Lavonte David would fit the bill at inside linebacker next to Malcolm Rodriguez. We’ll list Wagner here, clearly still playing at a high level at age 32. In fact, he led all linebackers in SIS’ points saved metric last season. He allowed just 4.3 yards per target in coverage with two interceptions and was fourth in the NFL with 34 defeats, a metric that adds up turnovers, tackles for a loss and plays to prevent conversion on third or fourth down,” the piece said.
Wagner certainly turned back the hands of time to have a great season, and at this stage, he could be looking to join a true contender. Enter Detroit, a team that could be taking the next step. A short-term deal could be a win-win for both sides.
Defensively, most have focused on Detroit’s needs at cornerback. Still, as this shows, there are plenty of spots where the team could stand to use an upgrade. Linebacker is certainly a sneaky spot to remember in the days ahead.
Bobby Wagner’s Career Stats & Highlights
It isn’t overstating it to say that Wagner is one of the best linebackers the game of football has seen in the past decade. His performance on the field has been fantastic, even as he ages at 32 years old.
It isn’t just the stats, but Wagner’s overall impact on the game which shows what a dramatic addition he would be for a team like Detroit that struggles on defense at linebacker. Coming into last season, Wagner had accounted for 1,383 tackles, 23.5 sacks and 11 interceptions before being released. He was also a six-time first-team All-Pro and an eight-time Pro Bowl player. Wagner also has a Super Bowl ring to his credit, and was part of the all-decade team at linebacker.
Things didn’t trail off considerably after Wagner was picked up by the Los Angeles Rams, however. During the 2022 season, Wagner posted 140 tackles, two interceptions and six sacks to go with five passes defended.
It’s clear a player like Wagner can help the Lions, but only if the price is right and he agrees to buy into the vision of the team. Last year, Wagner might not have made sense given where the Lions were, but this year could be different as the team transitions to potential contenders. This is a case worth staying tuned to into next week.
Lions Linebacker Room Needs Upgrade
A player like Wagner could be a perfect fit for the Lions because of the reason given within the piece. The Lions need some veteran presence in the room, and Wagner still plays at an elite level on the field.
There’s no question the team has some talent after witnessing the emergence of rookie Malcolm Rodriguez in 2022. Rodriguez posted an elite rookie season, putting up 87 tackles, one forced fumble, one sack and two passes defended.
Additionally, the Lions want to see Barnes, a 2021 fourth-round pick, continue to develop. He posted 47 tackles and one sack last season, and looks to build on a decent first two seasons in the league.
In spite of these positives, there are questions about whether or not Alex Anzalone will return, or if the veteran should return. Beyond that, the team doesn’t have much depth at all, with just Julian Okwara, James Houston and Anthony Pittman left on the depth chart in addition to Rodriguez and Barnes.
The opportunity will exist for someone to come in and stabilize the room, and a player with some upside as well as pedigree playing for winning teams could fit the bill. That’s why Wagner is a good name to watch on the market for Detroit in the days ahead, indeed.
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All-Pro Linebacker Called Lions’ Must-Sign Player in Free Agency