Tomorrow kicks off the “legal tampering” period of free agency, the 48-hour period before the new league year where teams can talk with pending free agents. It sure sounds like Seattle Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner will be one of those players to hit the market.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Wagner is expected to test free agency and is doubtful to return to the Seattle Seahawks.
Wagner, turning 34 in June, racked up an NFL-leading 183 tackles in 2023. He paired that with 11 tackles for a loss, six quarterback hits, 3.5 sacks, and three pass breakups. He made his ninth Pro Bowl and sixth All-Pro selection, a second-team player.
Wagner’s name is notable for two reasons. One, the Steelers have said they must address inside/off-ball linebacker. Two, there were reports in 2022 of a possible connection between Wagner and Pittsburgh.
“A name that we’re hearing thrown around a lot right now is Bobby Wagner,” reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala said in March of 2022. “I, in fact, texted with a coach yesterday and said that I really think that would be a great idea to bring him to town. And he said, ‘when have you ever stopped telling me what you think?’”
That appeared to be more speculation and dot-connecting than anything. But Jordan Schultz later added the Steelers had some level of interest. Ultimately, Wagner signed with the Los Angeles Rams, spending the ’22 season there before returning to Seattle for 2023.
Pittsburgh played Wagner’s Seahawks in Week 17. In the lead-up to the game, Tomlin praised Wagner.
“They got a veteran guy on the second level in Wagner,” Tomlin said during his weekly Tuesday presser. “Man, can’t say enough about him. He grows old very gracefully within their system of football. Very rarely is he out of place, his eyes are always in the right place. He knows what he’s doing. He kinda reminds me of Thomas Davis in Carolina…it’s a perfect venue to play and play at a high level. And he is doing that.
Davis has been one of Tomlin’s favorites, a former safety turned linebacker who battled back from several severe knee injuries to play through his age-37 season.
Hearing those glowing comments from Tomlin, Bobby Wagner returned the favor.
“To have somebody like that respect your game is definitely great because I’ve watched him for a long time and admired how he coaches, the messages, and how he cares about his guys,” Wagner told reporter Gregg Bell. “It’s mutual respect.”
Wagner recorded 14 tackles in a 30-23 Steelers’ win. While it’s clear Wagner and Tomlin could hang out and swap stories for hours, it’s doubtful Wagner will swap his Seattle helmet for a Pittsburgh one. Age is a concern and even in that game, it was obvious Wagner had lost a step. The Steelers’ defense must get younger and faster and adding a soon-to-be 34 year old Wagner doesn’t move closer to that goal.
And for his career, Wagner has been a West Coast guy, playing in Seattle and spending one year in LA after playing college ball at Utah State. At this stage of his career, his market might dictate a more of a move but he’s probably less interested travelling cross-country to play out the twilight of his career.
If there’s a Seahawks’ linebacker the Steelers could target, it’s Jordyn Brooks. Seattle’s first round pick in 2020, he finished 2023 with 111 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and one interception. His absence against the Steelers was one reason for Pittsburgh’s ground game success. At just 26 years old, he’s a more likely name the team will consider. As Rapoport notes, there’s a long and solid list of free agent inside linebackers and Pittsburgh will target someone younger with more tread on their tires.
