Getty Bobby Wagner in his last appearance as a Los Angeles Ram on January 8, 2023.
Bobby Wagner only needed one year to eventually return to the Seattle Seahawks.
Ten days after the start of the 2023 NFL free agency period, the former Los Angeles Rams inside linebacker is heading back to his former team — this time on a one-year, $7 million per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter on Saturday, March 25.
Former Seahawks’ LB Bobby Wagner is returning to Seattle on a one-year, $7 million deal.
Former Seahawk Teammate Leaked Wagner’s Decision
Turns out a former teammate of Wagner’s was the one who revealed the linebacker’s next NFL location.
“According to my sources future hall of famer LB Bobby Wagner has agreed to terms to return home to the Seattle Seahawks. Seahawks fill a huge need in the middle of their defense! Reported by @qdiggs6,” cornerback Quandre Diggs posted on his Twitter at 7:23 p.m. Eastern. He also added “12’s rejoice!!” in reference to the Seahawks’ “12th man” fan base.
Diggs had been aggressively recruiting “B Wagz” since word got out he was being released from the Rams. Diggs was Wagner’s Seattle teammate from 2019 to 2021.
Diggs wasn’t the only member of the Seahawks who sounded off on Wagner coming back to Seattle. Wagner’s wide receiver teammate from 2015 to 2021 Tyler Lockett was another who reacted to Wagner moving back to the Pacific Northwest by posting this photo of him and Wagner together in the Seahawks uniform:
Guess who’s back……… back again……
Wagner Proved he Could Still be a Tackling Machine in New Surroundings
Wagner only played one year of the five-year, $50 million he signed with the Seahawks’ NFC West rival. Both the Rams and Wagner reached an agreement to part ways — which allowed Wagner free reign on where his next stop will be.
But in returning to Seattle, his former team will know he’s still a 100-tackle threat.
In his lone season as a Ram, Wagner recorded 140 total tackles for the second time in his career (he delivered 140 his rookie season of 2012). Wagner also delivered 81 solo stops for the second time in the last three seasons.
Wagner, though, hit these milestones inside the “Rams House:” Hitting double digit tackles for a loss for the first time since the 2017 season and producing a career-high six sacks. And he accomplished those marks playing in a more exotic, odd man front compared to the four-man defensive line schemes he got accustomed to in the Pacific Northwest.
Wagner also picked off two passes and broke up five throws in coverage playing for Raheem Morris and his defense.
The Super Bowl winning linebacker first came to the Rams making it abundantly clear he didn’t like the way his exit occurred with the Seahawks, as the franchise unexpectedly released him before the start of the 2022 free agency period. Wagner cited with the L.A. media that playing his former team twice a year was a factor in his decision.
Wagner, though, witnessed Seattle win both regular season games and his first and only season with the Rams ended with a 5-12 season. He’ll now head to a Seahawks defense that ranked 26th overall in yards allowed. Seattle, though, is coming off a NFC Wildcard playoff appearance in their lone season without Wagner.
As for the Rams, they’ve now lost their second defensive captain from the 2022 season. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey was traded during the legal tampering period to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, March 12.
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Rams Officially Losing Bobby Wagner to Rival’s $7 Million Deal: Report