Commanders Should Brace For Bobby Wagner Leaving in Free Agency

Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner is a free agent this offseason and the team needs to figure out whether or not to bring him back into the fold.

With a new defensive coordinator in Daronte Jones, it remains to be seen if Wagner will be part of the Commanders or if he will join a new team in the upcoming season.

"He was a strong leader for Washington the past two years and ended the season by recording his 2,000th career tackle -- becoming only the third player in NFL history to reach that number. He dealt with a bad knee late in the season, but he's been durable, having played in 68 consecutive games," ESPN insider John Keim wrote.

"Though he still defended the run well, he'll turn 36 in June and it's uncertain how he'd fit in Jones' system. Wagner blitzes well, but the Commanders have been adamant about wanting to get more athletic and faster in their front seven."

Wagner Free Agency Could Change Commanders Defense

Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner reacts after a play against the Miami Dolphins. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Wagner has been a big part of the Commanders defense for the past two years, so the team would miss him terribly if he's on a different roster next season. Wagner may prefer to sign with a team that has a better chance at reaching the Super Bowl, which would likely mean he wouldn't return to the Commanders.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has known Wagner for most of his career after being his defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks. That connection led Wagner to the Commanders when Quinn became the head coach back in 2024. Quinn expressed his pride in Wagner after winning the league's Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

"We're all here, we're incredibly proud of him. The amount of work that he's poured into himself and poured into others," Quinn said.

"Myself being part of that, has been incredible to watch. I was so excited to hear of him being named the Walter Payton Man of the Year, but I was not the least bit surprised by it. And so, for any of you that heard his speech and ‘I got you,’ if I could tell you the amount of times that I've heard ‘I got you.’ And know that he meant it, it meant everything. So, I was super proud of him."

Wagner will likely end up signing with a team for the 2026 season next month when free agency begins.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more free coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2026 offseason.

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