Bobby Wagner
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Bobby Wagner
After the retirement of long time linebacker and Bucs legend Lavonte David, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been left with a vacancy at the linebacker position. While they did end up signing Alex Anzalone, they need more depth behind him in order to fully retool the linebacking corps. That could mean that they could be replacing one legend with another.
According to several reports, Bobby Wagner, who was actually in the same draft class as David, has been receiving some interest from the Buccaneers. The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf said that despite Wagner’s age, he would be the perfect schematic fit for the team.
Wagner Emerges as Veteran Replacement Option
“The Bucs recently said goodbye to a franchise lifer, as linebacker Lavonte David announced his retirement this week after playing his entire 15-year career in Tampa Bay. The Bucs signed Alex Anzalone in free agency, but they can still do more to bolster the middle of their defense. Tampa Bay drafted David in the second round in 2012 with the No. 58 pick. Eleven picks before that, the Seattle Seahawks selected Wagner, who has turned in a likely Hall of Fame career. He’s not the player he was in his prime, but he’s shown to still have some juice”, Yousuf wrote of Wagner’s abilities.
An added bonus the Bucs might experience is that Wagner will almost certainly come on the cheap. Currently, it is estimated that he will make around 7.7 million dollars per year. For a team that may not be as thrilled with splashing the cash on big money signings, as evidenced by several of their moves, this may be the best case scenario for a player inching ever closer to 40 years old.
This could be a time when the Bucs choose to look at the many accolades of Wagner as a reason to acquire him. He is after all, just as impressive as Lavonte David, if not more so, when it comes to achievements. He is a six time first team All-Pro, five time second-teamer, ten time Pro Bowler, and a Super Bowl champion.
Balancing Wagner’s Legacy with Present-Day Concerns
However, the Bucs must also acknowledge they are simply not getting the best version of Wagner should they take the chance on him. His coverage grades have dropped significantly, to 51.1., showcasing a loss of speed required at the position. He still adds value as a run stuffer, but so does new signing Anzalone.
This all raises a conundrum for the Bucs in terms of which path they want to take. While replacing Lavonte David with someone who is practically similar to him may sound appealing, but it comes with much more caveats than people think. It is seemingly more likely that the Bucs decide to go the route of drafting a replacement.
Still, when you think about the legacy of Wagner and his impact on the league over the years, you can’t help but think that his career deserves a nice ending with a team that could still utilize him. That could be the Bucs at this current stage of his career.