While you can add Seahawks All-Pro Bobby Wagner to the growing list of players who are representing themselves after their rookie contract make no mistake about it, Wagner is a leader and not a follower on and off the field. On Tuesday the Seahawks held day two of their allocated ten Organized Team Activities. The OTA’s are voluntary. So there was Bobby Wagner in sweats and playing the part of mentor and leader.
Wagner is in the last year of a four year contract he signed in 2015 and earns $10.75 million a year. The two sides have held preliminary discussions according to Wagner and head coach Pete Carroll pointed out to the media on Tuesday afternoon the OTA’s that the negotiations are going according to plan.
At this moment both sides are playing nice.
Which is encouraging but holds no guarantees leaving it up to both sides to look out for their best interest. The Seahawks no doubt are planning to sign Wagner to a deal given he is a future NFL Hall of Fame and undoubtedly the best defensive player in team history sooner than later. Wagner in the meantime is protecting his himself by being a spectator during the OTA’s to minimize the risk of injury. Given OTA’s are voluntary and most everyone is playing nice, nice regarding Wagner’s contract situation.
Wagner will be the third Seahawk in recent memory to represent himself at the negotiating table. The other two players were Richard Sherman and Russell Okung who never signed a deal with the Seahawks.
HIGHEST PAID PLAYER AT HIS POSITION
Wagner did make it clear that he is out to top the contract of Linebacker C.J. Mosley, a former Baltimore Raven who was signed by the New York Jets in March to a five-year contract worth up to $85 million total (or $17 million a year) with $51 million guaranteed. “I mean, the number is the number, the market is the market,’’ Wagner said of Mosley’s deal,
WAGNER ON BALDWIN RETIREMENT
So all is well until it is not well regarding the Wagner contract negotiations. For the moment there is plenty of trust and commitment towards a contract that will please both sides.
