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The reigning Super Bowl champions add a future Hall of Famer as they charge up for their title defense in 2022. The Los Angeles Rams have agreed All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner to a five-year contract, the team announced Thursday. The deal is valued at up to $65 million ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
This signing comes just over a week after Wagner visited Los Angeles as he continued to search for his new NFL home following his release from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month. While Wagner ultimately chose to sign this deal with the Rams, Cornerback Richard Sherman reports that the Baltimore Ravens made a last-minute attempt to sign the 31-year-old, but to no avail.
Seattle elected to release Wagner on March 9 to free up Cap spot, ending his decade-long tenure with the franchise after originally entering the league as a second-round pick in 2012. During his legendary run with the organization, Wagner became one of the best linebackers of his generation, earning six first-team All-Pro selections. Last season, Wagner had a career-high 170 tackles, plus five demolished passes, a sack and a forced fumble, so he’s still playing at a high level.
Now Wagner will stay at the NFC West and play his former team twice a year.
Of course, this is quite a win for Los Angeles, as it looks to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2003-04 New England Patriots. Last year, the Rams were among the top five defensemen in the NFL in DVOA, and the addition of Wagner should help them maintain that rank next season. While Wagner isn’t the pass-rushing presence that Von Miller — who has since signed a free-agent deal with the Buffalo Bills — was, he does add a talent like him to a defense that star defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen include Ramsey should continue to make LA one of the more feared defenses in the league.
This is just the Rams’ latest signing. Formerly in free agency, they inserted star receiver Allen Robinson on an offense led by quarterback Matthew Stafford and wideout Cooper Kupp, and now Wagner is the icing on the cake on the defensive side of the ball.