Bobby Wagner agrees new three-year, $54m deal with Seahawks
Saturday 27 July 2019 15:28, UK
The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to a three-year contract extension with All-Pro Bobby Wagner that makes him the highest-paid middle linebacker in the NFL.
NFL Network first reported the deal and said it's for $54m with $40m guaranteed.
The $18m average per season surpasses the $17m average that C.J. Mosley received by signing a five-year, $85m free agent deal with the New York Jets in March. According to Spotrac, the $18m average puts Wagner in a tie for sixth with Detroit Lions cornerback Tre Flowers among NFL defensive players.
Wagner and the Seahawks completed the lengthy contract negotiation Friday night.
"I'm really excited to have this done, excited that I get to be a Seahawk for a long, long time," Wagner said, according to the Seahawks' website.
"Like I've always said, I want to play my entire career here, and I feel like today is a step toward that. It feels amazing being here.
"I've watched people stay, I've watched people go, and to have the trust from the organization to continue to let me lead this team, lead the defense, and it's a great feeling. I'm excited to get back to work."
The deal ends months of conversation on how much the Seahawks could afford to pay Wagner after an offseason where the market for a middle linebacker was rewritten by others.
"We feel blessed that we were able to draft Bobby in 2012, keep him here on a second contract, and now to have him sign a third contract is a huge deal for us," Seattle general manager John Schneider said.
"Everyone in the whole building is excited, I'm sure his teammates are going to be very excited. He exemplifies everything that we're all about, his professionalism, intensity, the way he handles himself off the field.
"There's no doubt in my mind that he'll go down not only as one of the greatest Seahawks, but also as one of the greatest middle linebackers in NFL history. It's a major deal for our organization moving into the future."
Wagner, 29, has been selected to the Pro Bowl over five consecutive seasons and earned first-team All-Pro four times during that period. He has topped 100 tackles every season since Seattle drafted him in the second round in 2012 out of Utah State.
