Bobby Wagner is a Luxury Free Agent the 49ers Don't Need
Bobby Wagner is free man after being released from the Seahawks recently.
And already the future Hall of Famer has garnered interest from teams. One of those teams are the San Francisco 49ers. It isn't common to have a stud player like Wagner end up as a free agent. Usually when that happens there is some ailment plaguing the player or the team sees that player declining.
However, Wagner is neither as the Seahawks are clearly in a rebuild phase. Wagner can make an immediate impact anywhere, so I am sure the 49ers are drooling at the thought of pairing him up with another elite linebacker in Fred Warner. The two lined up together on defense will easily see the defense improve.
But Wagner is a luxury free agent the 49ers don't need.
Yes, it would be so sweet bring him aboard. And if they can get him at a fair price that doesn't surrender too much salary cap space, then they should do it.
However, the reality is that Wagner is still playing at a high level and will command serious cash. Cash that the 49ers should not allocate towards the luxury of signing him when they are perfectly fine at linebacker. They would be better off putting to use that money elsewhere like cornerback or another pass rusher.
I know the thought of having two elite linebackers is alluring because of the nostalgia for fans. It'll be a reminder of the Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman days by having two All Pro caliber linebackers.
But the 49ers do not need that nostalgia.
What they need is more concentrated talent at corner, another edge rusher opposite of Nick Bosa, or even a deep threat wide receiver. All of these would be better suited for the 49ers than to go after Wagner, and they should be able to address more than one of them with the money they will have averted from locking in Wagner.
Dreaming of adding star players to a team is always fun, but the 49ers are not short of star talent. They need their loose ends tied up and would benefit much better addressing other areas than pursuing a great linebacker who's best days are behind him.
