“Bobby Wagz” is staying in the NFC West, going from the Seattle Seahawks to now facing them twice a year beginning in 2022 — this time with the Los Angeles Rams.
After weeks of speculation on where he would end up, Bobby Wagner and the Super Bowl champions will be a pairing as his Ex-Seahawks teammate Richard Sherman helped leak out the news on the afternoon of Thursday, March 31:
The rich get richer! Lose future HOF @VonMiller and gain future HOF @Bwagz. The @Ravens made a last min push but the Reigning champs @RamsNFL were too good to pass up.
The Contract Wagner Will Receive
Per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Rams managed to work out a blockbuster deal after all to land the eight-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker and six-time All-Pro.
“Former Seahawks’ Pro-Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner is signing a five-year, $50 million deal worth up to $65 million with the Los Angeles Rams, per league sources. Wagner is staying in the NFC West,” was what Schefter tweeted.
The move to bring in Wagner instantly helps bolster a needed area for the Super Bowl 56 champs: Inside linebacker. The team currently has rotational starter Troy Reeder testing the free agent market after the team declined not to tender him. The franchise also lost outside linebackers Von Miller and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans, respectively, via free agency.
But per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, Wagner’s addition not only completes the Rams’ courtship of the former division rival, but his presence is expected to bring a vocal leadership role to the champs.
“For weeks, the Rams were quite public about their interest in Wagner, who they believe can align with rising star ILB Ernest Jones and help keep them multiple on the back end. Wagner can do everything and will be a day-1 leadership add as well,” Rodrigue tweeted.
Move Brings Wagner Back to a Region he Knows
Along with his Pro Bowl appearances and All-Pro nods, the Super Bowl 48 champion Wagner will bring to L.A. 1,383 career tackles — making him the active leader among current NFL linebackers.
The move becomes a Southern California homecoming for the L.A. native Wagner. The 6-foot, 241-pounder starred at Colony High School in Ontario (located in California’s Inland Empire) and on March 29, was captured giving this gesture to his prep alma mater:
@CoachZavala58 shared the great news that Colony Alumnus Bobby Wagner will be covering the costs for our Varsity football players Championship rings. We appreciate his generosity of giving back to the program and his community! @Bwagz
Wagner would then move on to Utah State where he became an All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) performer for the Aggies — snatching 445 career tackles and 28.5 sacks per Sports Reference while playing in a conference that once featured future NFL names Derek Carr, Davante Adams and Colin Kaepernick during a time Wagner was in the WAC.
Top Twitter Reactions to Addition
The league’s triple crown leader in receiving Cooper Kupp gave a rather honest, yet excited, take on his team luring in “Bobby Wagz.”
Let’s go!! Don’t have to play against @Bwagz anymore!!!!
Meanwhile, 49ers insider David Lombardi of The Athletic mentioned how Wagner is following in the footsteps of Sherman in this regard:
That’s two Super Bowl-winning All-Pros — Richard Sherman and now Bobby Wagner — that Seattle has released and seen return as NFC West adversaries. I’m sure Wagner, like Sherman, will be eager to stick it to his former team
All-Pro Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey will now get the chance to line up with Wagner, sharing this Twitter reaction:
Meanwhile, Kara Henderson Snead — best known as the wife of general manager Les Snead — sent this message on her personal Twitter account:
Lastly, the Rams Twitter account decided to have some fun with this Wheel of Fortune-themed post.
We’d like to buy a vowel, please.
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Rams Strike With Blockbuster $50 Million Deal: Report