“He called me a few days before” - Bobby Wagner reveals conversation with Russell Wilson before QB was traded to Broncos
Seattle Seahawks fans have had a rough offseason after losing Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner on the same day. These two were the only remaining players from their 2014 Super Bowl team.
Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos, while Wagner was cut and signed with the Los Angeles Rams.
Wagner was a guest on the Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday. He revealed a conversation he and Wilson had on the phone days before the quarterback was on the move. Wagner said Wilson asked what his teammate's thoughts were on him moving to Denver.
“Well, no, I knew about it. The funny thing was, you know, he actually called me a few days before. Maybe even a week before. And just, you know, asked me what were my thoughts about going there. And I was just like, ‘I don't have any thoughts, my heart is in Seattle, so I ain't really went that far'. And so I knew that it was, it was really close for him to call me in and kind of to ask me a question like that."
It was a shock to #Seahawks fans when @BWagz was released and the man himself told us how it all went down and when he knew it was coming — GREAT chat with the future HOFer and new L.A. Ram:
#NFL #NFLDraft https://t.co/wnZPLkHpvg
Wagner also revealed that he had a hunch that something could happen to him after finding out Wilson was on the move.
"It happened like, I'm not sure the exact time, but it happened before it happened. You know, I knew there was a chance that that was gonna happen. So I was like, ‘Okay, well, he's probably leaving, so I should probably get prepared for sure.'"
Wagner's interview was fascinating from start to finish. But finding out that he was suspicious of potentially being released was new information. He had tweeted in March that it was through the media rather than the front office that he discovered about his release.
Crazy part about all this. I played there for 10 years & I didn’t even hear it from them that I wasn’t coming back.
Moving on from Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner signalled a new era for Seahawks
The Seahawks' decision to part ways with Bobby Wagner and trade Russell Wilson was the official ending to the previous chapter of their franchise history.
The Seahawks received two starting-caliber players, Shelby Harris and Noah Fant, in the trade that dealt Wilson, as well as quarterback Drew Lock.
Lock has struggled in the NFL thus far, making Denver a viable candidate to draft Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett should they be available.
The Seahawks still face questions concerning trade prospects, as star wide receiver DK Metcalf's future is uncertain. Given the lack of leadership and inexperience across the roster, it would be a head-scratching decision if the team moved on from the 24-year-old.