Bobby Wagner Reportedly Visits With Ravens
OWINGS MILLS, Md, — Free-agent linebacker Bobby Wagner reportedly paid a visit to the Ravens, which would be an immediate boost to a defense that struggled last season.
Wagner represents himself but Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta has experience with that type of negotiation since quarterback Lamar Jackson also acts as his own agent. Wagner left without reaching a deal.
Wagner was drafted in the second round of the 2012 draft from Utah State and became an immediate starter at middle linebacker and produced 140 tackles and three interceptions as a rookie, helping lead the team to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Over the next nine seasons, he surpassed 100 tackles every time, including leading the league in that category in 2016 and 2019.
Last season, Wagner joined the exclusive company, alongside former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and London Fletcher, as only the third player to amass 100 or more tackles in 10 consecutive seasons since 1987.
Putting his dominance in perspective, no other player in Seahawks history has more than five total seasons with 100 tackles, as former teammate K.J. Wright carries that distinction. Even safety Eugene Robinson, whose franchise tackles record fell to Wagner a few years ago, only had four such seasons with the team.
In addition to his tackling prowess, Wagner quickly emerged as one of the game's best coverage linebackers, surfacing as the perfect prototype for a middle linebacker in today's pass-happy NFL with elite sideline-to-sideline speed and instincts.
Since entering the league a decade ago, he has produced 60 passes defensed and 11 interceptions while scoring four defensive touchdowns.
Stuffing the stat sheet year in and year out, Wagner broke tackle Walter Jones' franchise record by earning First-Team All-Pro honors six times, making him one of only 11 linebackers in NFL history to accomplish the feat. In total, including a Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2021, he has been named an All-Pro eight times and been picked for eight Pro Bowl squads.
ESPN first reported Wagner's visit with Baltimore.
— Corbin Smith from All Seahawks contributed to this report.
