SEATTLE — A franchise-changing day for the Seattle Seahawks continued Tuesday night with the team notifying All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner that he was being released, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The news came hours after Schefter reported that the Seahawks have agreed to trade quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. The two franchise cornerstones who were drafted on the same day in 2012 are now leaving Seattle on the same day 10 years later.
By releasing Wagner, the Seahawks are leaving their longtime defensive captain and another player who has been among the most impactful in franchise history.
The move will save the Seahawks $16.6 million in cash and salary cap space while leaving a huge hole in the middle of their defense. And that’s no surprise given Wagner’s contract, his age (he’ll be 32 in June) and evasive comments from coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider during the week’s scouting meeting. last.
Wagner himself wondered aloud about his future as the Seahawks finished a disappointing 7-10 season that led to several changes in Carroll’s coaching staff. Among them was the firing of defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., Wagner’s former post coach and one of his strongest supporters in the organization.
It’s unclear if a return to Seattle on a cheaper deal is in play.
For now, only defensive end Benson Mayowa — who left Seattle and returned in 2020 — remains on the 2013 Seahawks team that won Super Bowl XLVIII. Wagner, selected with Wilson on Day 2 of the 2012 draft, was the last remaining member of the star-studded defenses that led Seattle to its only world championship and a comeback trip to Super Bowl XLIX after the 2014 season.
Wagner, selected with Wilson on day two of the 2012 draft, was the last remaining member of the star-studded defenses that led Seattle to its only world championship in Super Bowl XLVIII and a comeback trip to Super Bowl XLIX after the 2014 season.
Wagner will become a free agent for the first time in his career. It comes with an interesting twist, as he continues to be his own agent, which he did when he negotiated his three-year, $54 million extension in the summer of 2019. The megadeal set a record for linebackers off the ball at $18 million a season and was perhaps the best achievement by a top NFL player handling his own contract negotiations.
Two and a half years later, this contract contributed to his release.
Wagner, the Seahawks’ all-time tackles leader, entered the final year of the deal with an unsecured base salary of $16.35 million and an additional $250,000 available in roster bonuses per game. His $20.35 million cap charge was an unwieldy number, even with the Seahawks in OK cap form — and even with Wagner coming off a 170 tackle season that earned him his eighth nod. to the Pro Bowl in 10 seasons.
Wagner posted that personal best despite missing all but one of the final two games with a sprained knee; Carroll said it wouldn’t require surgery.
Asked about Wagner last week in Indianapolis, Carroll gave a contradictory answer that ultimately heightened uncertainty over his 2022 return.
“We hope to play with Bobby,” Carroll said. “We love playing with Bobby. He’s been a great player, he’s had another great season. At this time of year there are a lot of guys who are in a position where we have to find where everyone else is. Bobby has been such a stable part and we’d love to be able to play with him, so we’ll work towards that. If we can do it, we will.
Wagner’s exit leaves behind $3.75 million in dead money.
The most logical internal candidate to replace Wagner is Cody Barton, a third-round pick in 2019 who has made five starts in three seasons. Barton started Week 18 after Wagner injured his knee in the opener the week before when his foot slipped as he tried to plant it on the wet Lumen Fiend turf.
Prior to his injury, Wagner hadn’t missed a single snap in 2021. His 170 tackles coming into Week 17 led the NFL and broke his own single-season franchise record since 2016. Teammate Jordyn Brooks (184) broke the week 18 record. with Wagner on the sidelines.
While Wagner hasn’t made as many impact plays as he has in some of his best seasons, he has recorded one interception, one sack, one forced fumble and five passes defended in 2021 en route to an All-Pro selection of the second team.
As of 2020, Wagner was one of 22 defenders named by the Pro Football Hall of Fame to the All-Decade Team for the 2010s. His Hall of Fame-worthy resume also includes six All-Decade First-Team selections. Pro, two All-Pro second-team selections and eight Pro Bowls nods, which are tied for second most in franchise history.
According to the team’s tally, Wagner’s 1,381 career tackles tops the franchise’s all-time list of nearly 400. He leads the NFL in tackles by more than 150 since the Seahawks l were drafted in the second round from Utah State in 2012.
In late December, Wagner said yes when asked if he was considering his future in Seattle.
“You think about it,” he said. “You think about what next year will look like and what the future holds because it was a season that I don’t think we all planned for. We didn’t plan for the season to go from that way, so obviously there’s going to be some changes and whether or not I’m part of those changes, I don’t know.”
At that same press conference, Wagner made it clear that he had no plans to retire. A week later, he struck a more optimistic tune about staying with the Seahawks.
“I understand there’s a business side to it, but there’s a lot of optimism on my side that I’ll be back,” Wagner said in early January. “So I don’t worry about that. Obviously, I can’t control everything. I can only control my part. And my part about that is that I feel like I love this city. I love this team. I love the Seahawks. So I’ve always wanted to be part of the good times and the bad times of a franchise and every time, so it’s a team that I wish I could be part of for a very, very long time. long time.
“So on my side, that’s where I’m at, I’m a Seahawk until they tell me I’m not. So that’s my mindset. So I don’t see it as it was my last game or this next game could be my next game.”
Wagner was asked what gave him the optimism he would return.
“I would like to say that I’m a pretty good businessman and I would like to say that I have a lot of respect here,” Wagner said. “So I’m just going to get into my business mentality and sort out a few things.”
