There’s no doubt linebacker Bobby Wagner will one day be a first ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee. But he appears ready to play at least one more NFL season.
CBS Sports’s Carter Bahns argued this week that Wagner shouldn’t go anywhere new. Bahns called on the Washington Commanders to re-sign the All-Pro linebacker.
“The Commanders are open to a Wagner reunion and need to address a defense that allowed more total yards last season than any other. While there is something to be said for cleaning house and starting fresh, Wagner is a schematic fit who can help get the most out of the players around him,” Bahns wrote. “He just racked up 162 stops as the anchor of this defense a year ago and can be expected to offer similar numbers even at age 36.
“Washington signed Leo Chenal as a plug-and-play starter, but he would be more effective as Wagner’s running mate than as the leader of the group.”
Wagner played the past two seasons for the Commanders. In 2024, he made second-team All-Pro for the fourth consecutive season.
That run occurred after Wagner earned five straight first-team All-Pro nominations.
In his 14-year NFL career, the linebacker has made six first-team All-Pros and five second-team All-Pros. He has also earned 10 Pro Bowl trips.
With the Commanders last season, Wagner posted 162 combined tackles, including eight for loss. He also had nine quarterback hits, 4.5 sacks, four pass defenses and two interceptions.
In 2014, he won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.
Should Commanders Re-Sign LB Bobby Wagner?
Wagner led the Commanders defense with 1,132 snaps last season. That was an incredible feat for the 35-year-old.
But it’s also the main reason for Washington to not bring back Wagner.
As Bahns detailed, the Commanders had one of the worst defenses in the league last season. Wagner also failed to earn a Pro Bowl or All-Pro nomination for the first time in his career since 2013.
Wagner’s analytics at Pro Football Focus, though, paint a positive story. The linebacker is still elite in run defense, tackling and pass rush. During 2025, he struggled in coverage, which lowered his overall grade.
Yet, Wagner still finished among the top five inside linebackers who played at least 80% of his team’s defensive snaps last season.
Wagner will be 36 before this fall. But he remains one of the most dependable elite linebackers in the NFL.
The Commanders could select a long-term solution at linebacker in the 2026 NFL Draft. But unless he’s ready to start immediately, it’d still make sense for Washington to bring back Wagner for another campaign.
Commanders Linebacker Depth Entering 2026
As Bahns mentioned, the Commanders signed linebacker Leo Chenal to a 3-year, $24.75 million contract in NFL free agency. Chenal won two Super Bowls as a part-time starter with the Kansas City Chiefs.
But it’s hard to see Chenal as a direct replacement for Wagner. The former Chiefs linebacker has never played more than 445 defensive snaps in a season.
During 2025, Chenal registered 58 combined tackles with five quarterback hits, two sacks, two pass defenses and an interception in 14 games.
Again, the Commanders could draft a linebacker. But unless he’s going to play immediately, Washington should consider another starter addition to the group.
Rather than searching for a replacement, why not just bring back Wagner?
Commanders Strongly Urged to Reunite With All-Pro Linebacker
