Why Won't Jayron Kearse Recruit Bobby Wagner to Sign With Cowboys?
FRISCO - The Seattle Seahawks made news on Tuesday as they traded their long-time franchise - and Super Bowl-winning - quarterback, Russell Wilson, away to the Denver Broncos. Just hours later, the Seahawks parted ways with another franchise icon in linebacker Bobby Wagner.
Seattle has informed Wagner, who will be 32 in June, that he will be released.
Wagner joined the Seahawks as a 2012 second-round pick. Wilson was a third-round selection the same year. Wagner and Wilson joined the Seahawks organization on the same day, and now it appears they'll be departing it together, too.
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Would Dallas be interested in Wagner?
There are ties there. Wagner's defensive coordinator for the Super Bowl season and others was current Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. So Quinn could recruit him.
But why won't safety Jayron Kearse join in the recruiting process (as much as he'd surely like to team up with Wagner)?
"(I) can't recruit him,'' Kearse explained on Twitter. "I'm unemployed myself.''
Very funny, and yes, Kearse is also a free agent; Dallas has opened negotiations to bring him back.
To his credit, Wagner wasn't cut because of performance issues.
Wagner holds Seattle's franchise record for tackles with 1,383 and has amassed 23.5 sacks and 11 interceptions during his career. Last season, Wagner registered a sack, a forced fumble, and 170 tackles, 93 solos, in 16 games.
Wagner had one year remaining on his contract, and by releasing him, the Seahawks will save over $16 million next year. He is also considered a "street free agent" which means he's free to sign with any team once his release is official.
Other pending free agents have to wait until next Wednesday to sign with a new team, although they can begin negotiating with teams next Monday.
The Cowboys have questions at linebacker, with Leighton Vander Esch and Keanu Neal entering free agency. While Dallas doesn't have a ton of available cap space, it is making room with recent contract moves for quarterback Dak Prescott and guard Zack Martin.
Anything is possible within the salary cap, if a team wants to do it.
