Seahawks Check Off Major Need, Delight Fan Base Re-Signing Iconic LB Bobby Wagner

By waiting out the market, the Seattle Seahawks were able to bring back a franchise icon to the delight of fans and teammates. But Bobby Wagner's return isn't simply for nostalgia, as his second act comes at an ideal time at a position of concern for a budding contender.

Last March, when the Seattle Seahawks shockingly released superstar linebacker Bobby Wagner, the likelihood of the future Hall of Famer playing another down in blue and green seemed slim to none.

After all, Wagner didn't necessarily leave the Emerald City on the best of terms. Serving as his own agent, he found out about his release through social media instead of communications with general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll, who each expressed public remorse for how the situation played out.

Back where he belongs.#GoHawks x @Toyota pic.twitter.com/9P8VxduPSK

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 26, 2023

But following one outstanding season with the NFC West rival Rams, "Wagz" is officially making his homecoming and will sport No. 54 once again for the Seahawks. As confirmed by the team's official site, the franchise icon has agreed to terms on a one-year, $7 million deal to return to the Pacific Northwest, sending fans and now current teammates such as Quandre Diggs and Tyler Lockett into a state of euphoria.

When news broke of Wagner's impending release by Los Angeles earlier this month, the stars looked aligned for such a reunion and Schneider confirmed on multiple interviews that the team and player had been talking. Still, as Seattle made several other moves in free agency and salary cap space evaporated quickly, doubt began to creep in about whether or not the two sides would reunite and other teams such as the Dallas Cowboys remained interested in the peripheral.

Nearly two weeks after the start of free agency, however, the Seahawks finally brought Wagner back to his old stomping grounds, once again proving time heals wounds. And, by doing so, they aren't simply writing a feel good story allowing him ride out into the sunset to cap off an incredible playing career.

As Schneider mentioned on a radio interview on Seattle Sports 710 earlier in the month, Seattle had to scan the entire free agent market seeking the best talent to add to the roster and he couldn't make decisions based off nostalgia and sentimentality alone. While holding Wagner in the highest regard, he had to ensure re-signing the soon-to-be 33-year old linebacker was the best acquisition to improve the football team at the right contractual value, and there were plenty of intriguing free agents at the position to consider.

But while Wagner's return indeed checks off the fan service box for 12s, the move also plugs arguably the biggest hole on the Seahawks roster with an all-time great still performing at a high level between the lines and offering irreplaceable leadership on the field as well as in the locker room. In terms of bang for the buck, they couldn't have fared much better upgrading the defense for an ascending contender.

Before being cut as a cap casualty a year ago, Wagner put together one of the most impressive decades by any defender in NFL history. Posting 100-plus tackles each season for Seattle and eventually surpassing safety Eugene Robinson for the franchise record, he garnered All-Pro honors eight times, including a team-record six First-Team selections. He also made eight Pro Bowls while being named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s.

For those wondering if Wagner had begun his descent, he quickly silenced critics starring in the middle of the Rams' defense. While the team struggled to a five-win campaign, the ex-Utah State standout enjoyed one of his finest seasons, racking up 140 tackles, two interceptions, and a career-high six sacks, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors. He played at his best against his former - and now current - team, enacting vengeance with a pair of sacks and an interception.

Dominant in all phases and demonstrating he had plenty of tread left on his tires in his 11th season, Wagner earned an elite 90.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2022, the highest grade by a linebacker since 2016.

Though Wagner may not be the same athlete he was earlier in his career, he remains one of the best at his position and his instincts help offset diminishing speed and quickness. With Jordyn Brooks potentially out for a significant part of next season recovering from a torn ACL and former starter Cody Barton signing with Washington, his arrival brings invaluable experience, leadership, and playmaking ability back to a defense that slogged through most of the 2022 campaign at the perfect time.

At worst, Wagner will be able to step right back into the lineup, don the green dot on his helmet once again as Seattle's defensive quarterback, and help clean up the 31st ranked run defense. Even if he's entering the stage of his career where he subs out in nickel and dime packages in favor of a defensive back in coverage, his presence should galvanize the entire unit and provide support mentoring young players, including recently signed linebacker Devin Bush.

Time will tell what Wagner has in store for an encore and the team may have to deploy him a bit differently to maximize his strengths, but Saturday's signing presents a rare instance of an aging player coming back to his original team being a home run for both sides. As long as he stays healthy and the front office adds a few more pieces around him in the front seven, he should thrive once again manning the middle and be a catalyst for yet another contender with the Seahawks.

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