The Seahawks’ genuine interest in returning Bobby Wagner now includes John Schneider and Pete Carroll talking to him.
As the Los Angeles Rams officially announced Wagner’s release, Schneider admitted something he was unwilling and unable to do a week earlier, when the six-time All-Pro linebacker was still under contract with Los Angeles: The Seahawks are talking to Wagner.
“Now we were able to, so Pete and I were able to talk to him the other day and we had a great, amazing, honest conversation,” Schneider, the team’s general manager, said Thursday during his regular segment on Seattle’s KIRO AM radio. “So he knows where we are and we know where he is.
“We have a lot of respect for him personally and professionally, so we were able to discuss some things. And, yes, we know where this is going.”
Last week at the NFL’s annual scouting combine in Indianapolis, multiple league sources told The News Tribune that the Seahawks were very interested in signing Wagner after his year off.
Seattle has serious issues with both starting inside linebackers to replace Wagner in 2022. Jordin Brooks recently underwent surgery to repair an anterior cruciate ligament injury in January. He is likely to be sidelined after the start of next season. Cody Barton is out of contract. He is set to hit free agency when the market opens on Wednesday.
Schneider and Carroll said at the combine last week that they could not comment on Wagner because he is still under formal contract with the Rams. If Schneider and Carroll didn’t say anything, they followed NFL rules against manipulating players who have signed contracts with other teams.
A day later, the Rams announced they were releasing Wagner.
“You know, I love Bobby. He meant everything to us and our program, and he played especially well against us (last season for the Rams),” Carroll said last week at the combine. “So, you know, we’ll see what happens.”
