The Indianapolis Colts addressed their off-ball linebacker issues this past offseason by trading Zaire Franklin, not re-signing Germaine Pratt, signing Akeem Davis-Gaither, and drafting two players for the spot in the first four rounds. The team could still do more, though.
The next move Indy should make is to make an offer to linebacker Bobby Wagner, a player who is destined to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. While Wagner isn't quite the player he was five years ago, he is still one of the better linebackers at his specific position.
Before last season, when he was finishing the second of his two years with the Washington Commanders, Wagner had been named First- or Second-Team All-Pro for 11 straight years. Even last season, however, he still was involved in 162 tackles and had 4.5 sacks.
Indianapolis Colts should kick the tires on signing Bobby Wagner
He would also be an excellent fit in defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's system. Wagner doesn't need to be used on blitzes to supply quarterback pressure, for instance. He gets close to quarterbacks organically, as his football IQ is elite, and he understands when to attack the line of scrimmage and when not to.
He would likely only be a one-year fix for Indianapolis, but that could be all he needs to be. Second-round selection CJ Allen is almost certain to start at one spot, but his partner isn't definitely set yet. It could be fourth-round choice Bryce Boettcher, but Boettcher might need a year or so to acclimate to the NFL.
Free agent signee Akeem Davis-Gaither could also start next to Allen, but the former struggles in one area that is key to his position and one in which Wagner doesn't have issues. Davis-Gaither has missed on 12.7 percent of his tackle attempts in his career, not an awful number overall, but one that pales in comparison to Wagner's 5.5 percent.
Few linebackers to ever play have been as good against the run as Bobby Wagner. He has had just one season when he had fewer than 51 run stuffs, and that was in 2018, when he still had 41. The veteran also doesn't miss games, even though he is now 36 years old. Since the beginning of 2015, the former Seattle Seahawks legend has missed only two games.
Even more advantageous for the Indianapolis Colts, should they sign Bobby Wagner, he would be one of the better voices that CJ Allen could have in his ear. Wagner's wisdom would be invaluable for the rookie.
According to Spotrac, Wagner's market value is expected to be $7.7 million in 2026. That number might even be a little high due to the linebacker's age and the fact that it's now July and he hasn't signed anywhere. Even if the number is nearly $8 million, general manager Chris Ballard should make a phone call to try to sign the future Hall of Famer.
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