The Seattle Seahawks could see one of their long-tenured defensive players suiting up for an NFC rival next year.
The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf broke down the top landing spots for some prominent free agents, predicting that Bobby Wagner could replace another longtime veteran in Tampa Bay. Yousuf called Wagner a strong fit for the Buccaneers, who have been working to bolster their linebacking corps this offseason.
Bobby Wagner Could Head East
As Yousuf noted, the Buccaneers had a big hole in the middle of their defense after Lavonte David retired, leaving an opening that Wager could fill.
“The Bucs recently said goodbye to a franchise lifer, as linebacker Lavonte David announced his retirement this week after playing his entire 15-year career in Tampa Bay,” Yousuf wrote. “The Bucs signed Alex Anzalone in free agency, but they can still do more to bolster the middle of their defense. Tampa Bay drafted David in the second round in 2012 with the No. 58 pick. Eleven picks before that, the Seattle Seahawks selected Wagner, who has turned in a likely Hall of Fame career. He’s not the player he was in his prime, but he’s shown to still have some juice.”
River Wells of SI.com also noted that the Buccaneers could be a strong fit for the 35-year-old linebacker, though admitted Wagner would play a more limited role than he has in the past.
“Wagner, like [Lavonte] David, has a very high football IQ, but age has made him struggle in coverage,” Wells wrote. “PFF gave him just a 51.1 coverage grade, but his run defense grade of 90.3 was stellar. If the Buccaneers were to take a chance on Wagner, they would have to hope that new free agent signing Alex Anzalone would be able to cover well enough to help him out in that area.”
Wagner has bounced around the league since spending the first seven years of his career in Seattle, spending time with the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders sandwiched between a one-season return to Seattle.
Seahawks Have Lost Some Key Pieces
While Wagner is several years removed from his time in Seattle, the Seahawks have more recent changes to their defense. The Super Bowl champions had to make some difficult decisions in free agency, including the future of cornerback Riq Woolen.
Woolen signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, which SI.com’s Jeremy Brener suggested could be a good location for him to get a fresh start.
“Woolen has potential to improve his game with the new change of scenery, but he is going to have to get rid of some of his bad habits that led to him joining the second unit in the middle of the 2025 campaign,” Brener wrote. “If he can do that, the Eagles might have one of the biggest steals of the off-season on their hands.”
The Seahawks also had to make some difficult decisions on offense, allowing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to leave in free agency after the Kansas City Chiefs made a significant offer.
Longtime Seahawks LB Named Top Fit for NFC Rival