National Football League

Bobby Wagner’s homecoming a stabilizing force for Seahawks' revamped defense

Published May. 24, 2023 2:38 p.m. ET

After his unceremonious release from the only NFL team he intimately knew, Bobby Wagner moved back to his native Southern California by signing a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams last year.

But going home wasn't what he expected. Wagner toiled through a nightmarish season with the Rams as they experienced a Super Bowl hangover, dealing with several injuries and finishing 5-12.

After he and the Rams mutually agreed to part ways this offseason, Wagner sought a return to his old team. He patched things up with the Seahawks and signed a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million to return to Seattle.

Wagner took the field for Seattle at OTAs this week, donning the familiar No. 54 jersey after wearing No. 45 for the Rams last year. He is the lone member of Seattle's 2013 Super Bowl-winning team now on the roster.

"It feels good to be back," Wagner told reporters. "It's nice to be back in 54. It's nice to be back in some beautiful weather, so it's cool."

Part of the return for Wagner included smoothing over hurt feelings that resulted from the awkward way Seattle executed the release of one of the best players ever to wear a Seahawks uniform.

"I know that I could have handled things much differently," Seahawks GM John Schneider told "The Rich Eisen Show." "We had a great conversation about that. But then just our culture, clearing the air and being able to come to an agreement and have those private, man-to-man conversations. And he was excited to come back.

"He's a legend, a first-ballot Hall of Famer."

While the Rams scuffled last season, Wagner's play was not the issue. He started all 17 games in 2022, led the team with 140 combined tackles, including 10 tackles for loss. He also recorded six sacks and two interceptions. He was named team's defensive MVP and also served as a mentor to younger players like fellow linebacker Ernest Jones.

Wagner, who turns 33 next month, now joins a Seattle defense in need of veteran leadership and improvement in stopping the run. Jordyn Brooks, who replaced Wagner for Seattle at inside linebacker last year, is recovering from an ACL injury suffered in January. That means Wagner will retake his role as the leader of Seattle's defense, including wearing the green dot as the defensive playcaller on game days.

Rams, Giants, Seahawks among NFC teams that will make a big leap

Wagner's presence should help a Seattle run defense that allowed 150 rushing yards a contest last season, No. 30 in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, Wagner was the highest-graded linebacker during the regular season. His 2.9% missed tackle rate was No. 3 among his position group, per Pro Football Focus.

"Getting Bobby back is a huge deal," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told Seattle Sports 710 AM. "He's such a pro, and he just gives us the stability and the background that we need to make sure that we're well-coordinated in the games."

Wagner is only part of a reshaping of Seattle's defense, which the Seahawks needed to do to truly compete with the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC West division crown. The revamp also includes the return of veteran defensive end Jarran Reed, the signing of defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones, linebacker Devin Bush Jr. and safety Julian Love in free agency, and the drafting of cornerback Devon Witherspoon and edge rusher Derick Hall.

Carroll and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt switched from a 4-3 base front to a more complex 3-4 defensive scheme made popular by longtime defensive guru Vic Fangio. Wagner played in the Fangio scheme while with the Rams, which should ease his transition to Seattle's defense.

"It's kind of a combination of a lot of defenses," Wagner said. "But there's some stuff that we've run in the past. There's some stuff that I got introduced to with the Rams. So this is the time to build a new defense. We're trying new looks, new formations. I'm excited to just learn and get to know everybody again."

Wagner said home for him will always be split between Seattle and Southern California. But he gained a renewed sense of joy for his adopted home of Seattle during his year away.

"The biggest thing is appreciation of how good things are," Wagner told reporters this week. "You see how things are when you're winning. You see how things are when you are not winning.

"[It's important to] value people and relationships, because you kind of think that you'll be around all these people for a long time, and then it can just be over like that."

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience