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The Washington Commanders brought in a new head coach who knows how to put together a defense as good as anyone in the NFL in Dan Quinn this offseason.
One of Quinn’s most deft moves might end up being signing veteran linebacker and future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner to a 1-year contract worth up to $8.5 million.
PFF’s John Kosko put Wagner’s value in perspective in his article on the Top 30 NFL Players Over 30 Years Old on May 20, where he put Wagner at No. 15 overall.
“Wagner remains one of the top linebackers in the NFL, recording a 91.1-plus PFF run-defense grade in each of the past two seasons,” Kosko wrote. “His coverage ability has taken a hit, though, as he’s only graded above 70.0 once in the past five seasons in that facet.”
Wagner, who will turn 34 years old in June 2024, is a 10-time NFL All-Pro and 9-time Pro Bowler who has at least 100 tackles in each of his 13 NFL seasons.
Wagner led the NFL with 183 tackles in 2023 playing for the Seattle Seahawks, earning second-team NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
Wagner was one of just two linebackers to make Kosko’s list, along with New Orleans Saints‘ Demario Davis at No. 15.
Bobby Wagner Is One of Greatest Linebackers in NFL History
Wagner’s tackling prowess goes back much further than his NFL career.
Dating back to his senior year at Ontario (Calif.) High School in 2007, when he had 125 tackles, Wagner has only missed the 100-tackle mark once in the last 17 seasons — when he had 52 tackles as a true freshman starter at Utah State in 2008.
The Seahawks drafted Wagner in the second round (No. 47 overall) in the 2012 NFL draft and he was a key piece of Seattle’s Super Bowl-winning team in 2013 and their return to the Super Bowl in 2014 – both years playing under then-defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
Wagner has led the NFL in total tackles three times, solo tackles once, assisted tackles four times, safeties once and fumbles returned for touchdowns once, when he returned 2 fumbles for touchdowns in 2015.
Wagner played the first 10 seasons of his career with the Seahawks before signing a 5-year, $50 million contract with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 — a season most notable for when Wagner leveled a flare-wielding fan who ran on the field in the middle of a road game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Wagner spent one season with the Rams before returning to Seattle for one season.
Commanders Boosted Linebacker Corps for 2024
Wagner wasn’t the only stellar addition to Washington’s linebacker corps in 2024.
In March 2024, the Commanders lured free-agent linebacker Frankie Luvu away from the Carolina Panthers with a 3-year, $36 million contract. Luvu is coming off back-to-back seasons with over 100 tackles, including career-highs of 125 tackles and 2 forced fumbles in 2023.
Wagner and Luvu join fourth-year linebacker Jamin Davis, the Commanders’ first-round pick in 2021 (No. 19 overall) after Washington declined the fifth-year option on Davis’ contract.
Davis had 104 tackles in 2022 and 84 tackles in 2023 despite missing four games due to injury.
“Washington fills yet another hole, this time at inside linebacker next to Jamin Davis,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote after Luvu’s signing. “The Commanders have been unable to solidify this position for a while and they now have a player coming off two solid years in Carolina. Luvu can move around and is considered a good blitzer — something new coach Dan Quinn likes in his linebackers.”
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