Wagner terminated his latest Seahawks extension last season, which opened the door for him to depart in free agency. He opted to join his hometown Rams on a five-year, $50 million deal in the hopes of helping the veteran lead team repeat as champion.
However, nothing went according to plan in Los Angeles in 2022 and they have now turned their attention to settling their many heavy contracts. That includes granting Wagner’s request to be released at the beginning of the new tournament year.
That move immediately led to speculation that a return to Seattle was possible. Both GM John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll spoke to Wagner earlier this month to discuss a potential dealalthough the Seahawks had a number of other moves planned to bolster their defenses.
That includes signed of former Steelers first-round player Devin Bush on a deal that proves it, a deal that gives the team a big pick in the first place but in no way prevents them from pulling Wagner back. This deal for the latter marks another notable defensive addition to Seattle.
Seahawks added defensive solution Dre’Mont Jones and safe Julian love in free agency, upgrade all three levels of their defense when combined with this Wagner reunion.
The latter will once again be able to cooperate with the first round of 2020 Jordyn Brooks, who has filled out the stat sheet for the past two seasons after becoming a full-time starter in the LB position. Given Wagner’s arrival last season, a repeat of his top performances might not be out of the question.
The 2010 Decade member was one of the few key players who could keep the Rams healthy in 2022 and he has proven to be a valuable member of the team’s defence. Wagner made a total of 140 tackles, six tackles and a few interceptions during his solitary Los Angeles campaign.
In terms of the Seahawks’ defensive ability to improve dramatically, he’ll be well positioned to post another high-yield season in 2023.
A text message from Wagner confirms that he’s “delighted to be back” (Twitter link through Pelissero colleague Ian Rapoport). His return should give the Seahawks a significant boost, especially in terms of their defense, after they finished 30th in the league for ground yards in 2022.
Assuming the unit improves, their repeat of playoff appearances from last year wouldn’t come as a surprise, something that would give Wagner the opportunity to add even more to his legacy. it’s in Seattle.
