Bobby Wagner is again the place all of it started with the Seattle Seahawks.
A couple of weeks after being reduce by the Los Angeles Rams, the 11-year veteran linebacker signed a deal to return to the Seahawks after one season with their NFC West rivals.
Wagner defined in a Zoom press convention Wednesday why he is relishing being again within the Pacific Northwest.
“I by no means actually needed to depart within the first place,” Wagner told reporters. “Clearly, enterprise occurred, and I had a chance to go play within the metropolis I grew up in, and so I assumed that was cool. After which I need to come again to the town I type of matured in. For me, it was cool to have the ability to make that occur.
“Me with the ability to symbolize myself, I at all times thought it was cool if you had these brokers on the market that had been capable of get the participant what he needed, so I needed to be residence, and this was one other residence of mine, and I needed to be again.”
Seattle launched Wagner final offseason, the identical stretch through which it traded star quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. Wagner signed a five-year cope with the Rams, totaling 140 mixed tackles, six sacks, 5 passes defensed and two interceptions in 2022.
The Rams, although, reduce Wagner in March after going 5-12. He later signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks.
Throughout Wagner’s unique 10-year stint with the Seahawks (2012-21), he averaged 138.3 mixed tackles, 2.4 sacks, six passes defensed and 1.1 interceptions per season. Wagner was a part of Seattle’s Tremendous Bowl XLVIII protection, which surrendered the fewest complete yards (273.6) and factors (14.4) per recreation within the 2013 NFL common season. He has missed simply three video games since 2015.
Wagner, who stated that he’d like to finish his profession with the Seahawks, referenced a handful of present Seattle gamers recruiting him, corresponding to defensive again Quandre Diggs, taking part in a task in his return.
“I feel that in all probability performed a component in me coming again,” Wagner stated of gamers Tweeting at him to signal with Seattle. “There was a lot love, not solely from him [Diggs], however DK [Metcalf], Tyler [Lockett], guys I had performed with wanting me again. I feel that performed a component in it. Quite a bit had modified since then. There have been guys who stepped into management roles, guys who stepped up, taking part in smart, and typically they do not need issues to return to the way in which they had been. So to me, these guys, particularly Quandre — I do not assume I went a day with out seeing a tweet from anyone — it was cool.”
Wagner additionally instructed Seattle Sports activities’ “Brock & Salk Present” that he “by no means felt any sort of manner” towards coach Pete Carroll, common supervisor John Schneider or anyone in Seattle’s constructing about how they parted methods final 12 months.
Wagner is one among a handful of defensive signings that the Seahawks have made this offseason, defensive linemen Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed and defensive again Julian Love among the many others.
Seattle went 9-8 final season, good for the third NFC wild-card spot, although, it misplaced to the rival San Francisco 49ers within the wild-card spherical. The Seahawks personal the No. 5 (acquired as a part of Seattle’s return from Denver for Wilson) and 20 picks within the 2023 NFL Draft.
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