Bobby Wagner Acclimating to Life Without K.J. Wright, New-Look Seattle Seahawks Linebacker Corps

RENTON, WA – Bobby Wagner has known for weeks that he would go to training camp without his criminal partner KJ Wright. The familiarization phase began last month when the Seahawks held their mandatory annual mini camp without the seasoned linebacker.

But with two trainings in the books, Wagner remains baffled why Wright still hasn’t found a team for the 2021 season. And while he understands that the NFL is primarily a business, he’s still getting used to the reality that the two close friends aren’t playing together for a 10th season in Seattle.

“It’s definitely an adjustment, something to get used to. I’ve been with him all my career so it’s definitely something to be aware of. Something to understand how the business works and hope to find out somehow or other, “said Wagner after training at the training camp on Thursday.

“I just find it very interesting that someone has had one of their best seasons and doesn’t find themselves on a team. I definitely feel that they deserve it. He’s a leader, someone everyone likes to be on their team Unfortunately, it has a business side, I still hope for the best. “

As one of the most iconic linebackers in franchise history, Wright had a fantastic 2020 season for the Seahawks. After suffering a cruciate ligament rupture in Week 2, Bruce Irvin willingly switched to the position of strong linebacker, producing 86 tackles, 2.0 sacks, an interception and ending the season as the only player in the league with double-digit passes to defend and Tackles for loss.

Shortly before the start of the league year, Wright made it clear that he would not be ready to take a “hometown discount” to return to the Seahawks for an 11th season. But even though he played his best football a year ago, several factors have worked against him since he became a free agent in March.

For one, NFL teams were short of space in the upper limit due to the lack of participation last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With limited money, even considering the consistency and reliability of 32-year-old Wright over a decade, they weren’t interested in paying the market price for an aging defender. Second, teams appear to be moving towards “positional” defense with smaller, hybrid defenders rather than traditional off-ball linebackers.

As a result, Wright is left without a job until the start of training camps throughout the league, without any desired offers being put on the table.

“I think he’s fine,” said Wagner. “I think he’s waiting for the right opportunity. We’re still talking about trash so you know. “

For the past nine years, Wagner and Wright have been cornerstones of Seattle’s defense, playing for some of the best units in NFL history. Between the two players, they have accumulated more than 2,000 tackles, 110 tackles for loss, 30.0 sacks and 16 interceptions during this period.

At the beginning of his 10th season, Wagner told reporters during the June minicamp that he remained confident that the Seahawks would find a way to bring Wright back and play the two together again. But when he stepped on the field on Wednesday, # 50 was nowhere to be found, reaffirming the changing times in the Pacific Northwest.

Instead, Seattle plans to promote a youth movement alongside Wagner. After several starts in the second half of his rookie season, former first-round pick Jordyn Brooks will step in as the full-time linebacker of the weak. Darrell Taylor, who missed all of last season to recover from leg surgery, has taken on the first team at the strong side’s linebacker.

Notorious for refusing to call newcomers by name, Wagner’s tradition has carried over into the new season. The undrafted signer Jon Rhattigan and the German linebacker Aaron Donkor have been tagged with the nickname “Rookie” several times this week. And Brooks’ practice even carried over into year number two.

“Who said I didn’t?” Joked Wagner when asked why he wasn’t going to call Brooks by name yet. “Do you believe a beginner? Come on man You can’t believe anything a rookie says. “

As Wagner noted, this is not the first time he has faced high profile defensive teammates leaving Seattle, comparing the current situation without Wright to when Legion of Boom members Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor left. In just two seasons, all three of these stars had moved on due to injuries and / or contract disputes.

Much like he did when these three players left the stage and Wright is no longer on the team, Wagner realizes that he needs to be louder to develop chemistry with players like Brooks and Taylor, with whom he hasn’t played much up until now over here.

“When you’ve been with someone for a long time, they know you and you know them. So there is a lot of non-verbal communication, ”commented Wagner. “I think it’s more of a relearning that the people around me don’t know what I’m thinking. You have to communicate more and help more. Nothing that I can’t handle.”

To his credit, as is expected from a player of his caliber and reputation, Wagner handled the situation calmly. On the field he takes on the practice tasks, advises players like Cody Barton or Ben Burr-Kirven on technical issues and helps newbies like Donkor or Rhattigan to learn a new defense for the first time.

While it’s still early in camp, Wagner was pleased with what he saw of Taylor, who is possibly the biggest wildcard in the Seahawks’ defense towards the season. Armed with an athletic 255 pound frame, his abilities lend themselves well to a hybrid linebacker role such as that played by Irvin in Seattle’s defense over four seasons, and he offers an immense advantage if he catches the position quickly.

“It’s very explosive. Very explosive. Just as smart. He’s very smart, ”judged Wagner. “If you watch him in the field, you can definitely tell when he’s out there, whether he’s in a passport frenzy, sometimes dropping. You can feel it when he’s out there. ”

As long as Wright remains a free agent, the door to possible return is always open. The veteran recently indicated in an interview with Sirius XM Radio that a reunion is not ruled out. But for now, as on many occasions in his career, Wagner will be rolling with the punches and doing his best to bring his younger teammates up to date and develop a relationship with his young teammates.

Just don’t expect him to call her by name.