Bobby Wagner reveals Seattle Seahawks did not inform him about release from team
Bobby Wagner is one of the most recognizable faces in the history of the Seattle Seahawks franchise. Wagner was an anchor in the middle of the much-heralded Legion of Boom defense that ran the NFL throughout the 2010s.
Russell Wilson and Wagner were the last players remaining from the Seahawks' 2013 Super Bowl-winning roster. Wilson requested a trade in his exit, which happened Tuesday. Wagner was also surprisingly cut Tuesday, apparently without being told by the organization first.
He tweeted his disappointment with the Seahawks on Friday. After spending ten seasons as one of the faces of the franchise, he was stunned to find out about his release through a third party.
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.
The NFL is a business, and making difficult decisions, like moving on from a player are normal. However, it speaks pretty poorly on Pete Carroll and John Schneider that they didn't call Wagner to let him know before he found out through social media or someone else.
Bobby Wagner may no longer be a Seahawks player, but there will be a strong market of teams looking to sign the soon-to-be 32-year-old.
Bobby Wagner will have a robust free-agent market
Bobby Wagner will land on his feet before long. It's rare for a player who's made eight consecutive Pro Bowl appearances to be let go a few days ahead of free agency. In addition to having made eight straight Pro Bowls, Wagner was a First-Team All-Pro in five of six seasons between 2014 and 2020.
With the salary cap increasing, there is no shortage of teams with enough money to sign him. Sports analyst Jordan Schultz has heard the New York Jets, Detroit Lions, and New England Patriots are just a few teams that will throw their hat into the ring.
Other teams I’m told have interest in Bobby Wagner inc the #Jets, #Lions and #Patriots. So yeah, the All-Decade LB will have his pick of the litter, so so speak! 💰
There have also been reports of the Los Angeles Rams, San Fransisco 49ers, and Arizona Cardinals being interested in their former NFC West rival. Given their familiarity with Wagner from having played against him twice a year for ten years, any of those teams would make sense.
Wagner began to decline slightly in 2021, as his athleticism and speed were a tick below what we'd seen in years prior. But Wagner has a lot left to offer and can be the signal-caller of any defense with his high football IQ.
The Seahawks are entering unfamiliar territory as they prepare for their next chapter. But the way they moved on from Wagner without telling him leaves a sour taste and will only add more fuel to Wagner's competitive fire in 2022.