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Brady HendersonESPN
SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks’ franchise change day continued Tuesday night time with the staff notifying All-Professional linebacker Bobby Wagner that he shall be launched, a supply advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The information got here hours after the Shifter reported that the Seahawks had agreed to alternate quarterback Russell Wilson for the Denver Broncos. The cornerstones of the 2 franchises that had been drafted on the identical day in 2012 at the moment are leaving Seattle on the identical day after 10 years.
In Wagner’s launch, the Seahawks go from their longtime defensive chief and one other participant who has been among the many most influential in franchise historical past.
The transfer would save the Seahawks $16.6 million in money and house for a wage cap whereas leaving a large gap in the midst of their protection. It was no shock given Wagner’s contract and age (he’ll flip 32 in June) and the non-committal feedback made by coach Pete Carroll and normal supervisor John Schneider at a scouting assembly final week.
Wagner himself puzzled aloud about his future because the Seahawks had been wrapping up a disappointing 7-10 season that led to a number of adjustments to Carroll’s teaching employees. Amongst them was the firing of defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., former Wagner coach and considered one of his strongest supporters within the group.
It isn’t clear if a return to Seattle with a cheaper deal is within the works.
At the moment, Benson Maywa stays the one defensive participant — who left Seattle and returned in 2020 — of the 2013 Seahawks to win Tremendous Bowl XLVIII. Wagner, who was chosen with Wilson on day two of the 2012 draft, was the final remaining member of the star-studded defenses that led Seattle to its solely world championship and a visit again to Tremendous Bowl XLIX after the 2014 season.
Wagner, who was chosen with Wilson on day two of the 2012 draft, was the final remaining member of the star-studded defenses that led Seattle to its solely world championship in Tremendous Bowl XLVIII and the journey again to Tremendous Bowl XLIX after the 2014 season.
Wagner will turn into a free agent for the primary time in his profession. That comes with an attention-grabbing improvement, as he continues to behave as his agent, which he did when he negotiated his three-year, $54 million extension in the summertime of 2019. $18 million a season is maybe the best-known success story for a high-profile participant within the Soccer Affiliation. American Soccer is taking on his personal contract talks.
Two and a half years later, this contract helped set him free.
Wagner, the all-time chief of the Seahawks, was getting into the ultimate yr of the take care of an unsecured base wage of $16.35 million and one other $250,000 obtainable on the per-game bonus record. His $20.35 million payment was a tricky determine even with the Seahawks in good hat form — and whilst Wagner exited a 170 deal with season that earned him an eighth Professional Bowl nod in 10 seasons.
Wagner posted this to his finest regardless of lacking all however considered one of his final two video games with a knee sprain. Carroll stated it would not require surgical procedure.
When requested about Wagner final week in Indianapolis, Carroll offered a conflicting reply that in the end cemented the uncertainty over whether or not he would return in 2023.
“We count on to play with Bobby,” Carroll stated. “We love enjoying with Bobby. He is been an awesome participant, and he is had one other nice season. At the moment of yr there are loads of gamers ready the place we have now to determine the place everybody suits. That is a continuing a part of him and we might love to have the ability to play with him. , so we’ll make it occur. If we are able to do it, we’ll do it.”
Wagner’s launch leaves $3.75 million in lifeless cash behind.
Essentially the most affordable candidate at residence to interchange Wagner is Cody Barton, who was chosen within the 2019 third spherical and has made 5 appearances in three seasons. Barton began in Week 18 after Wagner injured his knee within the opening play the earlier week when his foot slipped whereas attempting to plant it on moist grass at Lumen Fiend.
Earlier than his harm, Wagner missed a shot in 2023. His 170 makes an attempt going into Week 17 had been main the NFL and breaking his franchise report for one season in 2016. Teammate Jordyn Brooks (184) broke the report in Week 18 with Wagner on the sidelines.
Whereas Wagner hasn’t made as a lot of an affect as in a few of his finest seasons, he netted a interception, a sack, a compelled fumble and 5 assists defended in 2023 en path to the All-Professional choice for the second staff.
In 2020, Wagner was considered one of 22 defenders named by the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame for the All-Decade Workforce in 2010. His Corridor of Fame-winning resume contains six First Workforce All-Professional picks, and two Second Workforce All-Professional picks -Professional and eight Professional Bowls gestures, which have been tied for second place in franchise historical past.
By staff depend, Wagner’s 1,381 profession tops the all-time franchise record with almost 400. He leads the NFL in tackles with greater than 150 because the Seahawks drafted him within the second spherical of Utah State in 2012.
In late December, Wagner answered within the affirmative when requested if he was questioning about his future in Seattle.
He stated, “You are eager about it.” “You concentrate on what subsequent yr will seem like and what the longer term holds as a result of this has been a season that I do not suppose all of us deliberate. We did not plan for the season to go like that, so clearly there shall be some adjustments and whether or not I used to be a part of these adjustments or not, I do not know.”
On the similar press convention, Wagner made it clear that he was not pondering of retiring. Per week later, he made a extra optimistic tone about staying with the Seahawks.
“I perceive there’s a business aspect to this, however there’s loads of optimism on my half that I shall be again,” Wagner stated in early January. “So I am not anxious about it. Clearly, I can not management every part. I can simply management my half. And my half about that is that I really feel like I like this metropolis. I like this staff, I like the Seahawks. So I all the time needed to be A part of the great occasions and dangerous occasions of the franchise and each time.So it is a staff that I might like to be a part of for a really, very very long time.
“So on my half, that is the place I’m, that I am a Seahawk till they inform me I am not. That is my mentality. So I do not see it was my final recreation or this subsequent recreation may very well be my subsequent recreation.”
Wagner was requested what made him so optimistic that he could be again.
“I’d say I’m a great businessman and I’d say I’ve loads of respect right here,” Wagner stated. “So I am simply going to enter my entrepreneur’s mindset and work on a number of issues.”
