Getty Former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner.
The Seattle Seahawks parted ways with a franchise legend this offseason, releasing linebacker Bobby Wagner. After a couple of months of silence, the 32-year-old linebacker finally opened up about the team’s decision right before training camp.
Wagner spoke with Bob Condotta from The Seattle Times about the team’s decision to cut him back in March. While the star linebacker could have been bitter with his comments, Wagner opened up and talked about how he has accepted the team’s decision.
“I didn’t want to leave Seattle,” Wagner told Condotta. “But if I was going to leave Seattle, home was the next-best thing for me and so being able to be home, like I’m at peace with the situation. But still, any competitor is looking forward to going back to the place that you played that they felt like you didn’t have nothing left and proving them wrong.”
Having been born and raised in the Los Angeles area, Wagner is looking forward to playing in front of his hometown with the Los Angeles Rams going forward.
Bobby Wagner Became a Hall of Fame Player in Seattle
Wagner wasn’t projected to be a star NFL player coming out of high school, but despite the odds, the 32-year-old put up a Hall of Fame resumé during his ten seasons with the Seahawks.
Coming out of high school in Ontario, California, Wagner was only a 2-star recruit. He had virtually zero FBS offers, but enrolled at Utah State where he quickly became a full-time starter. By his senior year, Wagner had become the WAC Defensive Player of the Year after stuffing the stat sheet with 147 combined tackles, four sacks, and two interceptions.
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The Seahawks liked what they saw from Wagner despite him playing at a smaller program, selecting the linebacker in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. That draft class formed the core of an eventual Super Bowl team, with the Seahawks drafting players like Wagner, Bruce Irvin, Jeremy Lane, and superstar quarterback Russell Wilson.
If Wagner had retired after being released by the Seahawks this offseason, his career would still have put him into the Hall of Fame discussion. Not only is Wagner a Super Bowl champion, but he’s also an eight-time Pro Bowler, six-time First-Team All-Pro selection, and a member of the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team.
There’s still plenty left in the tank for Wagner, however. The Rams have confidence that the 32-year-old can continue to play at a high level for the foreseeable future after signing Wagner to a five-year deal worth $50 million.
Who Will Replace Bobby Wagner on Seattle’s Defense?
It may be a long time before the Seahawks have another linebacker as impactful as Wagner. That being said, there are a few players currently on the roster that head coach Pete Carroll and the rest of the coaching staff are hoping can have a big impact in 2022 and beyond.
All eyes will be on Jordyn Brooks after the team announced that the linebacker would be the team’s signal caller for this upcoming season. A first-round pick back in 2020, Brooks took a big step forward last season, racking up 184 combined tackles with 10 tackles for loss and five pass deflections.
After such a dominant 2021 campaign, Brooks has an opportunity to become a star player on Seattle’s defense in 2022.
Cody Barton is the other inside linebacker expected to see plenty of action this season. He’s appeared in 48 games over his first three NFL seasons, but the former third-round pick has never been a full-time starter backing up Wagner.
This will be a big prove-it season for Barton, who will finally have an opportunity to get significant snaps on defense with Wagner now in Los Angeles.