After the Seattle Seahawks cut Bobby Wagner, NFL fanbases began campaigning for him. The Los Angeles Rams had brought the former rival linebacker Bobby Wagner in for a visit on March 24. The visit seemed to have gone well, but no deal was made. There was mutual interest between Wagner and the Rams. The Rams were looking to sure up the linebacker position, and Bobby Wagner is from L.A. Wagner then visited with the Baltimore Ravens, which also went reportedly well. But Wagner left both visits with no deal done and continued to negotiate.
Negotiations
There were rumors that Wagner was wanting $11 million a year, and neither team were willing to fork over that much. He was seemingly torn between the two teams. The Rams and the Ravens. It did seem that Bobby Wagner left Los Angeles feeling very good about the organization, that they were his first choice. This seemed to have been true, whether he had actually said that or not.
On March 31, Bobby Wagner signed a 5-year deal with a base pay of $50 million, but there are reports stating he can earn up to $65 million. The length of the deal is a surprise to some, as many believed he would be getting a 1 or 2-year deal. Former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman hinted that a Wagner deal was near, it just wasn’t clear where he was going. The Rams now have the 31-year-old for five years. While it is unlikely he actually plays out the full contract, Bobby Wagner is a Ram for the foreseeable future.
What Does Bobby Wagner Bring To The Rams?
The addition of Bobby Wagner is a huge addition to the Rams’ defense. The loss of Von Miller needed to be replaced. In my opinion, it didn’t even have to be a huge splash. The Rams could have easily picked up a second or third tier linebacker and start looking towards the draft. This move gives the Rams even more flexibility in this year’s draft. Linebacker is now a position of strength, with the pair of the All-Pro Bobby Wagner and the young Ernest Jones. Jones showed a lot of potential, and he will surely learn a thing or two from one of the best linebackers of the 2010’s.
As stated, Wagner brings flexibility to the Rams. They can now look to sure up CB2, whether that’s in-house or in the draft. David Long Jr. or Robert Rochelle could take that step up and be the Rams’ CB2. Guard is another position the Rams need to figure out, with the same two options. Bobby Evans or Tremayne Anchrum could take over at RG for the Rams.
The addition of Bobby Wagner now puts an elite talent in all three layers of the fields. The line has Aaron Donald, Bobby Wagner is in the box, and Jalen Ramsey is somewhere lurking in the secondary. While this move may not generate as much pressure to the QB as the move for Von Miller did, it is still a huge splash. It is almost certain that the Rams are done with acquisitions, as they haven’t made many anyway. This off-season was about keeping what they had and adding to it. They did almost exactly that but replaced Robert Woods with Allen Robinson and Von Miller with Bobby Wagner. Time will tell if the defending champs can run it back.
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