Linebacker Bobby Wagner officially became a member of the Rams on Monday and one doesn’t have to spend a long time looking at the six-time All-Pro’s on-field resume to understand why the defending champions were interested in adding him to their defense.
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Rams head coach Sean McVay noted that Wagner was an attractive addition for other reasons as well. McVay noted that the team parted ways with a handful of veteran leaders since beating the Bengals in the Super Bowl and that Wagner is a strong fit in that role.
“We’re losing some big-time locker room leaders, when you look at what Andrew Whitworth meant to our football team, wen you lose a player like what Von Miller’s meant, I thought Eric Weddle’s leadership during the playoff run was vital,” McVay said, via the team’s website. “And to be able to have a guy that will be thrust into a leadership role based on the nature of how you communicate from that middle linebacker spot, but then also just who he is as a human being, there’s a lot of positives, a lot of reasons you can be excited about Bobby joining the Rams.”
The Rams have not typically made big investments at inside linebacker, but they have put a premium on making moves for established stars whenever possible. Wagner fits on that front and the team will be hoping the move works out as well as the others that McVay mentioned on Monday.