Los Angeles Rams Fill Linebacker Void With Bobby Wagner Signing

The Los Angeles Rams have suffered plenty of departures in free agency, but their linebacking group figures to be improved after they secured the services of All-Pro Bobby Wagner.

Released this month by the Seattle Seahawks as they transition to a new era in the wake of the Russell Wilson trade, Wagner – who was born in Los Angeles – elected to return home, signing a five-year, $50 million deal worth up to $65 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Wagner’s former teammate Richard Sherman first announced his decision to sign with the Rams instead of the Baltimore Ravens.

The full details of Wagner’s contract have yet to emerge but, entering his age-32 season, it appears unlikely he will play out the entirety of his deal.

Whether he does so is unlikely to be of concern to the Rams, whose focus is solely on short-term success and their hopes of retaining the Lombardi Trophy.

Los Angeles’ success has been built on the Rams assembling a top-heavy roster with star power on both sides of the ball to put them over the top. Wagner adds further to that star power.

Wagner was named second-team All-Pro in 2021 and, though he may not operate quite at the level he once did – his completion percentage allowed of 81.6 was the 18th-highest among linebackers last season, per Pro Football Reference – he remains a difference maker who still managed to register an interception, five pass breakups, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble playing for a Seahawks defense that ranked 21st in Football Outsiders DVOA last season.

Opportunities to make such an impact on the Rams’ defense should be plenty playing behind the one-person wrecking crew that is Aaron Donald and alongside arguably the premier corner in the NFL in Jalen Ramsey.

Even if the Rams cannot harness Wagner’s playmaking abilities to the extent they would like, he should still be a significant upgrade on what Los Angeles had at linebacker last season. Troy Reeder was consistently victimized by the team most likely to rival the Rams for supremacy in the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers, and the creative mind of their head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Wagner has substantial experience of going against that offense and, with his veteran instincts and still impressive athletic ability, should prove substantially more difficult to exploit than Reeder.

Linebacker has long since been the weak link in a Rams defense that was fifth in DVOA in 2021. The Rams will hope Wagner’s arrival will solve the issue and make that unit even more formidable.