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Brady HendersonESPN
With All-Professional quarterback Bobby Wagner remaining unsigned for greater than three weeks after his launch from the Seattle Seahawks, the Los Angeles Rams seemed like a match that made quite a lot of sense not occurring.
Take into account all the explanations Wagner and Rams grew to become the identical in Hollywood:
For starters, the Rams want to enhance on the quarterback, and it is one of many few factors in a strong protection that helped them win the Tremendous Bowl LVI. They constructed this roster of leagues by having one massive title after one other—a needed strategy for a group nonetheless attempting to construct a budding fan base in a metropolis that solely cares about stars—and misplaced one in every of them when Von Miller signed with Buffalo Payments.
Regardless of Miller’s departure and another free-agent losses, the Rams nonetheless seems to be like one of many favorites within the NFC and arguably provides Wagner his greatest likelihood of successful a second Tremendous Bowl with the one he received in Seattle in 2013.
In addition they give him the chance to go house – or no less than near it. Wagner, a wool-dyed Los Angeles Lakers fan, grew up about 50 miles east of SoFi Stadium in Ontario, California.
And the Rams give Wagner one thing else that the Baltimore Ravens, the Dallas Cowboys, nor most different groups which may have been involved in couldn’t: an opportunity to remain within the Western NFC.
If enjoying with the Seahawks twice a 12 months wasn’t a consider Wagner’s number of Tremendous Bowl champions, it is the sensible cherry fruit on prime of a five-year, $50 million deal that he negotiated himself.
Given the way in which his time in Seattle ended, it might be naive to suppose in any other case.
Wagner felt disrespectful from the way in which Seahawks dealt with his launch, expressing his indignation Both are on Twitter And in secret. And it remained so even after coach Pete Carroll and common supervisor John Schneider blamed the general public for his or her roles within the matter, saying Wagner deserved higher given all the pieces he did for the franchise over the course of his contract in Seattle.
In reality, The Seahawks instructed Wagner that he was launched earlier than ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the information, however Wagner had already realized the plan. Schneider’s feedback indicated that Wagner might have heard the grumbling throughout his tenure as his agent, which may complicate communication between the group and the participant.
Both approach, Wagner is rocking the Seahawks. Now he faces them twice a 12 months, including a singular layer of intrigue to their rivalry with the Rams. Russell Wilson’s return to Lumen Subject as a member of the Denver Broncos will not be the one recreation of revenge value spinning when the 2023 schedule is introduced.
The Rams get a extremely motivated participant in addition to a extremely productive participant. The 31-year-old scored 170 tackles in 15 video games final season – breaking his personal franchise report, solely to be smashed once more by teammate Jordan Brooks – earlier than struggling a knee damage in his first recreation in Week 17. They’re additionally getting the A participant who, previous to that damage, was a mannequin of toughness, having solely misplaced another recreation for the reason that begin of the 2016 season.
However the Seahawks moved on from Wagner as a result of they felt he was now not affecting gaming sufficient to safe the $16.6 million he was set to make within the remaining 12 months of his contract. Though he did not make as many beginning performs as he did when he was a fixture within the Defensive Participant of the 12 months dialog, there have been some in 2023, like his third sack for Ryan Tanehill in Week Two, his interception by Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 14 and heading a deep ball towards Washington in Week 13 main as much as the number of Jamal Adams.
Wagner is giving the Rams a large improve over Troy Reeder, who did not play effectively sufficient in 10 begins final season to earn a bid as a restricted free agent. And Wagner provides them a veteran presence in a setting that has been run by youthful gamers in current seasons.
“He is a very particular individual,” coach Sean McVeigh instructed reporters at homeowners’ conferences, in response to the Los Angeles Instances, earlier than the deal was struck. “He is a person, clearly, [we’re] Conversant in enjoying with him a pair [of] occasions a 12 months, and thrice in 2020. It is simply as spectacular as I believed while you get the possibility to spend some lengthy stretches of time collectively. …if we are able to remedy the issue, I will be excited. “
As soon as that was finished, Wagner posted on Instagram a mannequin of him sporting a Ramez shirt. He referenced his chaotic departure from the Seahawks within the caption, writing that whereas “it did not finish in a optimistic approach,” his love for Seattle won’t ever change. He expressed his appreciation for the town however didn’t title the group.
“I am excited to have the ability to return the place all of it started and be part of the LA Rams!” he wrote.
“This may be enjoyable for lots of causes.”
