Notes from the Cowboys offseason continue to arrive and unfortunately, they will not be able to keep one of the most important free agents of the moment. It’s about linebacker Bobby Wagner, as the lone star team has decided not to opt for the player’s services.
Stephen Jones is one of the attendees at the annual meeting of the NFL in Palm Beach. On Tuesday he was speaking to the media and said things just didn’t work out with Wagner. Therefore, the defender will not be coming to the Cowboys for 2022.
Bobby will be turning 32 at the end of June, but he’s still one of the best veterans without a team in the entire NFL. Super Bowl XLVIII champion with the Seattle Seahawks, he has 1,383 combined tackles, 23.5 sacks, 60 passes defensed and eleven interceptions in the ten seasons he was in Seattle. Being part of the “Legion of Boom” that won the Super Bowl defeating the Denver Broncos 43-8. On that occasion, Wagner would finish with ten combined tackles.
Bobby Wagner LEVELED two blockers and got the sack ????
(via @thecheckdown)pic.twitter.com/CYEMFOuyc1
— ESPN (@espn) November 2, 2020
Of course, add that he already knows defensive coordinator Dan Quinn very well and it was expected that the front office would make a move for the linebacker. However, the price of him seems to be very high and this has made the Cowboys unable to keep him. After all, Bobby is asking for a one-year deal and roughly $11 million. A figure that is very difficult to afford for any organization, including Dallas.
“Obviously Dan has had a history with Bobby and knows him well, so we looked into it,” said Stephen Jones. “He’s a great football player, Hall of Fame type. But things just didn’t work out for us.”
Stephen Jones indicates Cowboys not still in play for free-agent LB Bobby Wagner.
“Obviously Dan’s had a history with Bobby and knows him well (so) you look into it. He’s a great, great football player, Hall of Fame-type player. But as it turned out, it didn’t work out with us.”
– Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) March 29, 2022
As already mentioned, one detail regarding the linebacker is its price. Both the Baltimore Ravens and the Rams are interested in getting him. But it is likely that some of them will wait to see if the player lowers the price a bit. Like the particular case of the Los Angeles team. Who, despite winning the last edition of the Super Bowl against the Bengals, does not pay much attention to the cost of 11 million for the LB.
“The Rams have a legitimate interest, but not at the price of Wagner,” said Peter King of NBC Sports. “It is believed that he is asking for around $11 million in a one-year deal. The 31-year-old linebacker continues to play very well and would be a luxury item for the Super Bowl champions. If he wants to stay in the same division as the team that dumped him (Seattle), Wagner is going to have to drop his price a little bit more.”
On the Cowboys’ side, Dallas already has Micah Parsons at the position, who will be entering his second year as a pro. Likewise, they managed to renew Leighton Vander Esch for one year and a full recovery is expected from Jabril Cox. Another great fourth-round pick in the 2021 Draft. Stephen himself commented that he is recovering very well from the anterior cruciate ligament tear he suffered at the end of October. “I think he is going to be great, he will be a great element for us this year. It will fit right where Keanu (Neal) left off. I think he has great covering skills.”
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said LB Jabril Cox, a 2021 fourth-round pick, is “doing really well” after ACL tear on Oct. 31. “I think he is coming along great. Should be a big plus for us this year. Will fill right in where Keanu left off. I think he has great coverage skills.”
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) March 29, 2022
Overall, the Cowboys are comfortable with what they’ve got and will probably look for new talent at the position with a bargain in free agency or alternatively, new talent in the Draft. But the team is not going to pay more than ten million dollars for a player who is not from the house. It is not part of the philosophy of the organization and they are not going to start changing it now. So Wagner will not be part of the Dallas Cowboys and is already fully confirmed.
