Bobby Wagner spent the last two seasons as a starter for the Washington Commanders, but he remains unsigned deep into the NFL offseason. All speculation points to the veteran linebacker landing with a team and returning for a 15th NFL season, but many are still surprised that a player of his ability has not secured a contract.
Why Bobby Wagner’s NFL Future Remains Uncertain
Even at 35 years old, Wagner remains one of the NFL’s most accomplished linebackers, though questions about his future continue to linger. After 14 seasons in the league, he is approaching the stage of his career when many legendary defenders retire, but he has stated that he intends to keep playing.
Meanwhile, landing with a new team has become more challenging for several reasons. The 11-time All-Pro remains a productive starter, but his trademark sideline-to-sideline speed and coverage ability have naturally declined with age. Modern NFL offenses can occasionally exploit those limitations in passing situations, making teams more cautious when evaluating him.
Those concerns played a role in the Commanders’ allowing Wagner’s contract to expire in March. The organization instead focused on younger, more athletic talent for its defense, turning to players such as Leo Chenal, Sonny Styles, and Frankie Luvu.
Durability has never been an issue for Wagner, as he has appeared in all 17 games in each of the past four seasons, proving he can still be relied upon week after week. However, teams in need of linebacker help may first explore younger and less expensive alternatives before considering the veteran.
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That said, Wagner’s market remains alive, and several franchises could still view him as a valuable addition. The Dallas Cowboys have been mentioned as a potential landing spot.
“If you can have a plan in place to hide the coverage issues with Bobby Wagner at this point in his career, he can still help,” Cowboys analyst Tom Downey said. “But he’s not going to sign anywhere, nor do you even want to sign him to be a backup, unless he’s going to be a starter.”
“It doesn’t really make sense for any of the parties involved,” Downey added. “Why would he sign a deal and then end up stuck in backup duty? That doesn’t make sense for anybody involved. So if you get to August 5th and don’t have a linebacker room that’s good enough, and if Wagner’s still out there, I think he makes sense.”
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Wagner was a cornerstone of the Seattle Seahawks’ famed “Legion of Boom” defense and helped the franchise win a Super Bowl title. His career achievements include six first-team All-Pro selections, 10 Pro Bowl appearances, and credentials that make him a near-lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Since PFN began tracking positional grades in 2019, Wagner has ranked among the NFL’s top 10 linebackers every season, and those years came after much of what many consider his prime.
Wagner once again proved his impact last season, recording 162 tackles. The NFL’s active leader with exactly 2,000 career tackles, he was also honored as the Walter Payton Man of the Year this offseason. Wagner finished the 2025 season with an 89.7 PFN linebacker impact score, ranking No. 5 in the league.
If Wagner returns for the 2026 season, he would have more than just another year of football to pursue. With over 2,000 career tackles already on his resume, he sits only 59 tackles away from surpassing Ray Lewis’ record, and so his comeback bid will be of historical significance.
