New RT Wagner Calls Green Bay ‘Special Place’
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Before he was Rick Wagner, Ricky Wagner was a star tight end at West Allis Hale High School and, later, an all-Big Ten offensive tackle at Wisconsin.
After seven NFL seasons, Wagner – he goes by Rick now – signed this offseason with his home-state Green Bay Packers.
“It’s definitely cool,” Wagner said in a Zoom call with Packers beat reporters on Thursday. “In the NFL, you really can’t choose where you go, you know? You’re happy to have a job really anywhere. And I had a great time in Baltimore and Detroit. I was really happy about my experiences at both places. But, at this point in my career, I’m really happy to be here and it’s definitely a special place.”
Wagner was a fifth-round draft choice by the Ravens in 2013. From 2014 through 2016, he started all but three games at right tackle. Following the 2016 season, he signed a monster five-year, $45 million contract with Detroit. He played three years but was released this offseason.
The Packers quickly signed him to a two-year, $11 million deal to replace longtime starter Bryan Bulaga. Bulaga signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chargers in free agency.
“First of all, he’s got a ton of experience,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said earlier in the day. “I know he battled through some things last year but (he’s) just a veteran presence, and it seems he’s about the right things. He fits in the locker room really well, he fits in the O-line room really well. I’ve been impressed with him just in the limited exposure out on the field through the walk-throughs, but he’s locked in and ready to go.”
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Wagner, who brought his family with him to Green Bay, has some big shoes to fill. Facing several of the NFL’s top pass rushers last year, Bulaga was excellent. According to Pro Football Focus, 58 offensive tackles played at least 50 percent of the passing-game snaps. Bulaga finished 17th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hit and hurries per pass-protecting snap. Wagner, on the other hand, finished 42nd.
In three seasons in Detroit, Wagner allowed 16 sacks, 11 stuffs (a tackle at or behind the line on a running play) and was flagged for holding seven times in 40 games. In 35 games over that same span, Bulaga allowed 10 sacks, one stuff and was flagged for holding seven times.
“There’s a lot of tape of him out there, and he’s done a pretty darn good job. There’s a reason he’s started for so many seasons now,” LaFleur said in downplaying Wagner’s performance last season, when he was slowed by a knee injury.
Assuming he wins the starting job, Wagner will be tested right out of the gate with early-season road games against Minnesota’s Hunter, New Orleans’ Cameron Jordan and Tampa Bay’s Shaq Barrett. Barrett led the NFL in sacks, Jordan was third and Hunter was fourth.
“Every year, it’s a competition at every position,” Wagner said. “There’s no guarantees that you’re going to start anywhere. So, just got to go out there and prove that I can win that starting job, and I’m happy for that opportunity. It was a little difficult with the offseason being basically on Zoom, didn't get that on-field time during OTAs, but I think that just puts a lot of importance on what we’re doing here during this first part of camp. The walkthrough time (and) finally getting together as an offensive group, and I think the coaches during those Zoom meetings, during the virtual OTAs really did a good job with their presentations, and made it pretty easy to learn the new system.”
From his four seasons in Baltimore, Wagner gained some experience with the zone running game directed by LaFleur. Along with schematic fit, Wagner landed with a winning team. Both factors were important in his free-agent decision. The Packers won 13 games last season and reached the NFC Championship Game. In Wagner’s three seasons in Detroit, the Lions won 18 games, endured two last-place finishes and never reached the playoffs.
“I think Green Bay has both of those things for me,” he said. “I think it’s a good fit and, obviously, it’s a great winning franchise that I’m extremely excited to be a part of.”
