Linebacker Bobby Wagner and the Los Angeles Rams have mutually agreed to part ways after one season. Wagner signed a five-year, $50 million deal with $20 million in guarantees in March 2022.
Following Wagner’s release, the Rams are set to free up $5 million in salary cap space; a crucial move since the team remains $13.7 million over the salary cap leading up to the new season. The team does, however, incur a $7.5 million dead money charge as a result of Wagner’s release.
Although the team could save $8 million by designating Wagner as a post-June 1 release, the savings won’t be credited to their cap until the summer.
Wagner joined the Rams after spending 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. Last season, Wagner posted 140 tackles, a career-high 6 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 5 passes defended in 17 games, earning himself second-team All-Pro honors in the process. This is the ninth time in his 11 NFL season that the linebacker was named an All-Pro. Impressively, Wagner has posted over 100 tackles in each of his seasons.
The Rams narrowly missed out on the opportunity to sign Wagner in 2012 when he entered the NFL Draft. While the Rams intended to draft him, they shifted him down to five spots, with the Seahawks swooping in to take him.
