With recent reports that the LA Rams are looking to trade star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, Lions fans have flooded the internet with possible trades and dream offseasons. While the trade rumors and scenarios for Ramsey are exciting, this article looks at the possibility of bringing his former teammate and future Hall of Fame linebacker, Bobby Wagner, to the 313.
After signing Wagner to a 5 year deal just last offseason, the two parties have mutually agreed to part ways this past week. The Rams currently look like they are gearing up for a retool, and as a 32 year old linebacker, it is understandable Wagner wants to spend the final years of his career competing.
Wagner is coming off one of his best seasons statistically, totaling 2 picks, 140 tackles, 6 sacks, and 10 tackles for loss. He was also named second team all-pro for the 3rd time in his career.
While his statistics were certainly impressive, it raises the question of why the Rams would simply release Wagner instead of trying to trade him for assets. Although he was on a long-term deal, Wagner was not making anywhere near what top LBs are making. There are 15 linebackers who had a cap hit of over $15 million in 2022. For the rest of his contract, Wagner was set to make no more than $11 million in a year. If Wagner was still one of the best LBs in the game, there is little doubt the Rams would have found a contending team willing to pay up.
Wagner is a sure-fire Hall of Fame linebacker, but there is a major concern that his play has regressed. He is not as fast or fluid as he once was, and as a result, he is limited in his defensive assignments. With such a young defense, it would be difficult to compensate for Wagner’s lack of versatility. That being said, Brad Holmes has a lot of capital to reshape the linebacker room, whether that is through the draft or free agency. If he decides to sign Wagner, there could still be an opportunity to add another young linebacker to the team. If the Lions land Wagner, the mentorship he could bring to the young corps in Detroit would be invaluable, but the value he adds to the team between the lines may not be what fans hope.
