WASHINGTON — One first-year Commanders is far from a rookie coming into training camp. Linebacker Bobby Wagner steps onto the field in Ashburn entering his 13th year in the NFL. Wagner, a Super Bowl champion and nine-time Pro-Bowler is expected to be a defensive cornerstone as the team gets set for the 2024 season.
Wagner comes to the east coast after a lengthy career with Seattle, some of that with new head coach Dan Quinn and new linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr.
"I wanted an opportunity to play, obviously," Wagner said of his choice to come to D.C. "But if I was going to come to the east coast, I wanted to be with people I was familiar with. Coach Norton has coached me probably 80% of my career. Coach Quinn I've been around for a long time. I just felt like it was the right fit for me."
In Seattle, Quinn was responsible for the "Legion of Boom" and helped the Seahawks win a Super Bowl in 2013, with Wagner. Wagner said he sees the growth in Quinn after a decade.
"I definitely feel like he's grown as a man, as a coach. Defensively and schematically, a lot of it has grown as well. But at the end of the day, the core of who he is is still the same," Wagner said.
"You can tell he loves this game. He's getting another bite at the apple and I'm happy to be a part of that."
Wagner is part of an organizational rebuild for the Washington franchise. The team starts the season with new ownership, a new coaching staff, a new quarterback and several new faces.
"I feel like we have all the pieces. I feel like we have the coaching, which I think matters. I feel like we have players. It's just on us to put it together and how fast we can put it together. But I feel confident in what we can do," Wagner said.