The reigning Super Bowl champs are adding a future Hall of Famer as they load up for their title defense in 2022. The Los Angeles Rams agreed to terms on a five-year contract with All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, the team announced Thursday. The deal is worth up to $65 million, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
This signing comes a little over a week after Wagner visited Los Angeles as he continued to search for his new NFL home following his release from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month. While Wagner ultimately chose to ink this deal with the Rams, cornerback Richard Sherman reports that the Baltimore Ravens made a last-minute push to sign the 31-year-old, but to no avail.
Seattle elected to release Wagner back on March 9 to help free up cap space, which put an end to his decade-long tenure with the franchise after originally coming into the league as a second-round pick in 2012. During his legendary run with the organization, Wagner became one of the best linebackers of his generation and earned six first-team All-Pro selections. Last season, Wagner totaled a career-high 170 tackles to go along with five pass breakups, a sack, and a forced fumble, so he is still playing at a high level.
Now, Wagner will stick in the NFC West and play his former team twice a year.
Of course, this is quite the get for Los Angeles as it looks to become the first team since the 2003-04 New England Patriots to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Last year, the Rams ranked as a top-five defense in the NFL in DVOA, and the addition of Wagner should help them maintain that standing this coming season. While Wagner isn't the pass-rushing presence that Von Miller -- who has since signed a free-agent deal with the Buffalo Bills -- was, adding a talent like him to a defense that includes star defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey should continue to make L.A. one of the more feared defenses in the league.
This is just the latest splash signing by the Rams. Earlier in free agency, they added star receiver Allen Robinson into an offense headlined by quarterback Matthew Stafford and wideout Cooper Kupp, and now Wagner is the cherry on top on the defensive side of the ball.
