Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner Eager to Join Forces With 'Playmaker' in Jamal Adams

SEATTLE, WA - A five-time First-Team All-Pro in his own right, Bobby Wagner has played with his share of superstar defenders since breaking into the league as a second-round pick for the Seahawks in 2012.

As part of a historic unit that finished first in scoring defense four consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2015, Wagner starred alongside the vaunted "Legion of Boom" secondary, which featured two future Hall of Famers in safety Earl Thomas and cornerback Richard Sherman as well as bone-crushing hitter Kam Chancellor. Up front, the underrated trio of Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, and Chris Clemons ambushed opposing quarterbacks off the edge, while fellow linebacker K.J. Wright proved to be one of the most consistent and reliable players at his position in the entire NFL.

Having went to battle with so many talented players throughout his career on multiple playoff-bound teams, Wagner knows elite talent when he sees it. And he has no doubts the Seahawks landed a rare talent in All-Pro safety Jamal Adams.

"I've always admired his game from afar," Wagner told reporters in a pre-training camp press conference. "I'm excited to have him on the team, I'm excited that we're kinda able to get that going. Obviously, it's another playmaker on the field, another guy you have to respect, and so he'll get a little bit of attention too."

Already having an established relationship with Adams due to their respective affiliations with the Jordan brand, Wagner indicated the two star defenders met up for an event in Monaco a few years earlier. At the time, they kicked around the idea of eventually playing together.

Now, that vision will be realized in Seattle after general manager John Schneider executed his latest blockbuster deal this past weekend, sending two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and safety Bradley McDougald to New York in exchange for Adams.

Since being selected sixth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Adams has offered as much versatility as any defender in the NFL, playing snaps for the Jets at strong safety, free safety, and even linebacker in nickel packages. A highly-instinctive player who lined up all over the place, he's the type of chess piece NFL defenses covet to counter today's modern offensive attacks.

When asked whether his diverse skill set could lead to significant changes for the Seahawks schematically, Wagner shrugged off such a possibility. Given Adams' extensive talents, he doesn't see any reason why the two-time Pro Bowler will have trouble transitioning to his new team smoothly.

"I don't think the defense needs to change. I think he's gonna come in and fit in just fine. A lot of times there are certain defenses where we have the safety come into the box, which I think he's very comfortable in. A lot of times we have the safety come in and blitz, which I think he's very comfortable in, so there's a lot of things we do that really compliments his game."

As Wagner alluded to, Adams has been on another level chasing down opposing quarterbacks compared to the rest of the safeties in the NFL. Per Pro Football Reference, he blitzed on 90 out of 961 snaps, or nearly 10 percent of his total defensive snaps last season. He produced a whopping 6.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and a strong pressure rate of 17 percent.

Due to the Seahawks' struggles chasing down quarterbacks last year and the dynamic blitzing ability of Adams, the team will certainly look to take advantage of that strength. But while he didn't delve into specifics, Wagner also sees a great opportunity for Seattle's scheme to enhance and take his game to a whole other level.

"There's a lot of things that we do that we feel can bring another element out of his game. I think this defense should be really, really fun for him."

Considering Schneider's past track record of trading away high draft picks for established talents such as receiver Percy Harvin, tight end Jimmy Graham, and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, Wagner wasn't surprised to the renowned executive pull the trigger once again. Applauding him for the aggressive move to help fortify the Seahawks roster, he's fired up to join forces with his new teammate and make another run at a Lombardi Trophy.

"I think he always does the best he can to make sure we have a great team and he's going to make any move that he thinks is possible to do that," Wagner commented. "I'm excited about it. I think Jamal is an amazing player... he brings a lot of energy, a lot of passion to the game and I'm excited to have him on our team."

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