Rams sign LB Wagner to 5-year, $50M deal

The Los Angeles Rams and pro-bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner have agreed to a five-year, $50 million contract worth up to $65 million with incentives.

Wagner, a Los Angeles native, returns to his hometown to join defensive lineman Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey in the Rams journey for a Super Bowl repeat in the 2022 NFL season.

Seattle released Wagner on March 8, hours after the Seahawks agreed to trade starting quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. He was the last remaining defensive member of the Seahawks Super Bowl team that defeated the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

"We love playing with Bobby. He's been a great player had another great season," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said last week at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. "You know at this time of year, there's a lot of guys that are in a position where we got to figure out how everything fits together and Bobby has been such a steady part of it. We'd love to be able to play with him. So we'll work toward that if we can."

The Seahawks decided to release Wagner and avoid the $20.35 million salary-cap hit in 2022. Instead, Seattle will create $16 million in salary-cap space to re-sign other players after taking a $3.75 million dead-money hit with Wagner's release.

Last season, Wagner started in 16 games and totaled a career-high 170 tackles, including five pass breakups, a sack, and a forced fumble.

Wagner, 31, ends his 10-year career in Seattle with 1,383 total tackles, 11 interceptions, 60 pass breakups and 23.5 sacks. He recorded 10 consecutive 100-plus-tackle seasons, and his 1,383 total tackles leads all active players.

Wagner has earned six first-team All-Pro selections and eight Pro Bowls nominations during his decade-long tenure in Seattle. The future Hall of Famer was named to the NFL's 2010s All-Decade Team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.