The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't spent a ton of money in the 2026 NFL offseason to make up for the loss of linebacker Devin Lloyd. At this point, Jacksonville seems confident running it back with Foye Oluokun at the heart of the defense and former Day 3 selection Ventrell Miller moving from a backup role to that of a starter.
If the Jaguars are going to make one more addition of any note during the 2026 offseason, the linebacker room seems to be the spot begging for some new blood. Even though he isn't as good as he once was, linebacker Bobby Wagner may end up in Duval County after his two-season stint with the Washington Commanders came to a close.
ESPN's Matt Bowen believes that Wagner could link up with Jacksonville in the 2026 season. Even though Wagner is not the dominant force multiplier he was in Seattle and comes with some severe limitations from a schematic point of view, he can still tackle in the open field at an elite level and organize a defense, and there's nothing wrong with going all-in on those two traits.
ESPN wants Jaguars to sign future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner
One problem Wagner, who has 10 Pro Bowls and six First Team All-Pro nods, presents for the Jaguars is his limitations in coverage. Lloyd was a playmaker in coverage last season, while Wagner will likely need to be taken off the field in obvious passing situations due to his age. Is that worth an investment?
Even in his advanced age, Wagner is one of the best in the business in terms of playing the run between the tackles. Wagner would be an invaluable addition for a young defense and a linebacker room that just lost the best arrow in their quiver, and he isn't going to break the bank for James Gladstone and the front office.
Jacksonville may have won 13 games last season, but with a fairly inactive offseason and an extremely polarizing NFL Draft class competing with a Houston Texans team loading up for a Super Bowl run, keeping everything as it was in the 2025 season could contribute to either a major flatlining or regression.
The truth is that Bobby Wagner may not provide a wholesale impact on the overall win-loss record, but he could upgrade the linebacker room. This is why a Lloyd-less defense may be foolish to turn him down if he has some interest in joining them.
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