How inside linebacker Bobby Wagner will change the Rams’ defense

The Rams agreed to phrases with six-time All-Professional inside linebacker Bobby Wagner, demonstrating as soon as once more they won’t shy from buying confirmed star gamers.

Three takeaways on what the acquisition means for the Rams:

All-Professional expertise in any respect three ranges of the protection

The Rams already had been envied by different NFL groups as a result of three-time defensive participant of the yr Aaron Donald anchors the defensive position and three-time All-Professional cornerback Jalen Ramsey leads the secondary.

Enter Wagner, who has been voted to the Professional Bowl in eight consecutive seasons.

At 31, Wagner in all probability will not be the identical participant bodily that he was in 2013 when the Seattle Seahawks gained a Tremendous Bowl, and in 2014 after they narrowly missed profitable one other.

Final season, Wagner amassed 170 tackles in 16 video games, however lacked a number of the splash performs that outlined him earlier in his profession.

Regardless, the Rams now have a confirmed expertise to mentor second-year linebacker Ernest Jones.

Von Miller-type management

There’s a purpose the Buffalo Payments assured Miller greater than $50 million to lure him away from a return to the Rams.

They wished him as a result of he confirmed he might shut video games by pressuring quarterbacks, one thing which may have come in useful towards, say, Patrick Mahomes within the AFC divisional playoff spherical. However Miller additionally had offered the Rams with veteran savvy and Tremendous Bowl expertise.

As an inside linebacker, Wagner is not going to have the pass-rushing presence that Miller offered the Rams. Few NFL gamers, nonetheless, are as universally revered because the ultra-tough Wagner.

Keep in mind how the Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers and Inexperienced Bay Packers ran proper at — and generally by means of — the Rams?

That’s in all probability not taking place with Wagner manning the center.

One other homecoming for a Southland highschool star

Wagner performed at Ontario Colony Excessive earlier than starring at Utah State and turning into a second-round draft choose for the Seahawks in 2012.

Now he will get an opportunity, twice a season, to point out the Seahawks they erred by releasing him.

Wagner’s return is anticipated to evolve far more easily than DeSean Jackson’s did final season.

Jackson, the previous Lengthy Seaside Poly Excessive star, shortly turned sad together with his restricted function within the receiver corps. He was launched at midseason after the Rams discovered no commerce takers.

Wagner ought to take pleasure in a for much longer tenure with the Rams.