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The Washington Commanders made a "strong" decision about Bobby Wagner's future before free agency.
It hasn’t taken long for the Washington Commanders to make a “strong” decision about the future of veteran leader Bobby Wagner, ahead of 2025 NFL free agency. The decorated middle linebacker will still be around for another season after agreeing a new one-year deal on Thursday, March 6.
This move was reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. Rapoport described how “Wagner and the team agreed on a strong 1-year deal worth up to $9.5M with $8M guaranteed. Wagner represented himself on the deal.”
The #Commanders are re-signing standout LB Bobby Wagner, as the leader and playmaker is back with Washington, per me and @MikeGarafolo.
A key piece, Wagner and the team agreed on a strong 1-year deal worth up to $9.5M with $8M guaranteed. Wagner represented himself on the deal.
The note about Wagner repping himself during negotiations shouldn’t be a surprise. He’s been calling his own shot and leading from the front throughout the vast majority of a career that will likely end with a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Wagner only enhanced his standing in league history by playing a key role in the instant turnaround experienced by the Commanders in 2024. A rapid revival that saw a supposedly rebuilding program transformed from 4-13 to a spot in the NFC Championship Game.
Proven veterans like Wagner underpinned the sudden momentum with savvy, professionalism and production on the field. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn will again rely on the 34-year-old for more of the same this year, as Washington strives for necessary improvement defensively.
Wagner is also the second veteran retained by the Commanders on Thursday. Earlier in the day, ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed the team has “re-signed K Zane Gonzalez.”
Commanders Made Smart Move Retaining Bobby Wagner
Although Gonzalez proved clutch late in the season, Wagner’s return is the headline move. That’s understandable since the former Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams starter brought the smarts, toughness and competence missing for too long from Washington’s defense.
Wagner stayed busy during his 13th season, logging 132 total tackles, including 57 solo stops. He also recorded a pair of sacks.
More than the numbers, Wagner was the coach for a unit in transition. The results weren’t always pretty, but Wagner’s in-game intelligence kept the Commanders competitive.
Like when Bleav’s “RefTheDistrict” highlighted a Wagner audible that created a sack against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6.
Plays like this illustrate Wagner’s enduring value. He’s Quinn’s signal-caller, a role he’s occupied since the pair direct the famed ‘Legion of Boom’ defense for the Seahawks during the 2010s.
Keeping Wagner in the lineup means Quinn and Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. can get creative elsewhere. Specifically, by continuing to allow fellow linebacker Frankie Luvu to freelance and attack the line of scrimmage from multiple spots.
Luvu, Wagner and Gonzalez form part of a veteran core essential to the Commanders’ resurgence last season.
Commanders Wisely Continue to Lean on Veterans
Wagner wasn’t the only useful veteran added on a short-term contract a year ago. Edge-rusher Dante Fowler Jr. flipped a one-year deal into 10.5 sacks, while hybrid safety Jeremy Chinn also produced, even if the Commanders might consider signing an All-Pro replacement in this market.
Whatever he decides about Chinn, it’s clear Commanders general manager Adam Peters will continue to trust established players, regardless of age. The policy paid immediate dividends last season, helping to create a tougher, more united team-first mentality.
Wagner will continue to be a vital voice for this ethos, and he’ll get fresh support from a physical, All-Pro rival from his days in the NFC West.
