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Bobby Wagner

Rams add difference-making defender

People who scoff at the salary cap will feel justified by what the Rams have been able to do. Loaded with stars and tight against the cap at the start of the offseason, they've been able to hand out two of the larger contracts of free agency. First to Allen Robinson, and now to Bobby Wagner.

The deal was reported as five years and $50 million, and there's doubtless some padding going on there. Wagner turns 32 years old in June, and won't be playing out that deal. But if he's slipped, it's not readily apparent -- he still looks like one of the game's elite playmakers.

Tackles, for sure. Over the last six years, there have been 63 seasons where a player had at least 130 tackles. Wagner has done it all six seasons, including a career-high 170 (in 17 games, of course) last year. He's also been an All-Pro in five of those years.

But Wagner supplements those tackle numbers (which occasionally ordinary players in favorable situations can generate) with a lot of playmaking ability. He's also had 14 sacks in those years, and put 57 hits on quarterbacks. That includes four of the top eight seasons in that regard among the league's 130-tackle players. Guy can do it all.

(Numbers were a little down in 2021 in that regard, for those who want to argue he's lost a step. But still, looks like a strong addition to the Rams Defense.)

Data from pro-football-reference.com was used in compiling the below table, which shows all of the league's 130-tackle players over the last six years, sorted by QB hits.

DEFENDERS WITH 130-PLUS TACKLES, 2016-PRESENT
YearPlayerTeamPosCombSkSoloAstCombQBHits
2016Bobby WagnerSEAMLB1674.5858216718
2020Devin WhiteTAMLILB1409.0974314016
2017Demario DavisNYJRILB1355.0973813515
2017Bobby WagnerSEAMLB1331.5973613313
2020Bobby WagnerSEARILB1383.0815713811
2018Darius LeonardINDLLB1637.0111521638
2016Zach BrownBUFLILB1494.097521498
2018Bobby WagnerSEAMLB1381.084541388
2021Foyesade OluokunATLMLB1922.0102901927
2019Jordan HicksARIRILB1501.593571507
2016Christian KirkseyCLERILB1482.596521487
2016Kwon AlexanderTAMMLB1453.0108371457
2020Blake MartinezNYGLILB1513.086651516
2021De'Vondre CampbellGNBLB1462.0102441466
2018Blake MartinezGNBLILB1445.091531446
2017Joe SchobertCLEMLB1443.087571446
2020Joe SchobertJAXMLB1412.584571416
2020Roquan SmithCHILILB1394.098411396
2017Christian KirkseyCLELLB1383.586521386
2019Luke KuechlyCARIL1440.081631445
2021Eric KendricksMINLB1435.081621435
2019Cory LittletonLARIL1343.578561345
2017C.J. MosleyBALLILB1321.096361325
2018Luke KuechlyCARMLB1302.093371305
2019Eric ReidCARSS1304.097331305
2020Zach CunninghamHOULILB1643.0106581644
2021Roquan SmithCHILB1633.095681634
2019Bobby WagnerSEAMLB1593.086731594
2020Jaylon SmithDALRLB1541.589651544
2021Kyzir WhiteLACLB1441.090541444
2021Deion JonesATLMLB1372.087501374
2020Neville HewittNYJRILB1342.091431344
2019Joe SchobertCLEML1332.089441334
2021Jordyn BrooksSEALB1841.0109751843
2021Bobby WagnerSEALB1701.093771703
2021C.J. MosleyNYJLB1682.0103651683
2019Blake MartinezGNBIL1553.097581553
2021Denzel PerrymanLVRLB1540.0102521543
2019Zach CunninghamHOURILB1422.099431423
2019Jaylon SmithDALMLB1422.583591423
2016Preston BrownBUFRILB1391.079601393
2021Fred WarnerSFOLB1370.579581373
2016Alec OgletreeLARMLB1360.098381363
2018Telvin SmithJAXLLB1341.0100341343
2016Paul PoslusznyJAXMLB1331.597361333
2020Darius LeonardINDLLB1323.086461323
2019Budda BakerARIFS1470.5104431472
2016Sean LeeDALRLB1450.093521452
2017Preston BrownBUFMLB1440.084601442
2017Blake MartinezGNBRILB1441.096481442
2021Cole HolcombWASLB1421.083591422
2021Alex SingletonPHILB1370.081561372
2018Anthony HitchensKANLILB1350.081541352
2021Bobby OkerekeINDLB1321.089431322
2021T.J. EdwardsPHILB1301.064661302
2018Leighton Vander EschDALRLB1400.0102381401
2019Todd DavisDENRILB1340.078561341
2016Zach OrrBALRILB1330.092411331
2019K.J. WrightSEARLB1320.067651321
2018Mason FosterWASRILB1311.081501311
2021Tae CrowderNYGLB1300.064661301
2017Deion JonesATLMLB1381.091471380
2016Tahir WhiteheadDETMLB1320.099331320

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index