Bobby Wagner will not be a member of the Los Angeles Rams in 2023. That’s hard to believe after the season he just had, especially considering the contract he signed last offseason was a five-year, $50 million deal.
The Rams and Wagner have mutually agreed to part ways after just one season, a move that will free up at least $5 million in cap space for Los Angeles. Losing the 2022 second-team All-Pro hurts the defense, but it doesn’t make inside linebacker a huge position of need.
The Rams don’t need to go out and draft a linebacker with the 36th pick or sign one in free agency. It’s never been a high-priority position for the Rams under Sean McVay, and it won’t be this year, either.
That’s especially true considering Ernest Jones is still on the roster.
Very quietly, Jones had a strong season for the Rams alongside Wagner. He had 114 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble and four tackles for a loss. One of the major benefits of signing Wagner last year was the fact that Jones could spend a year learning from the perennial Pro Bowler.
Even though they only spent one season together, Jones took full advantage of the opportunity to play with the All-Pro.
“It’s been the highlight of my career so far,” Jones said last summer. “Just being around him, learning from him, seeing about how he goes about his business each and every day. Just trying to take something away from that day and just add it to my game just to be the better version of myself.”
Jones will now be the every-down linebacker for the Rams in 2023 and likely 2024, too. He played 66% of the snaps last season, oftentimes coming off the field on third down. But with Wagner now gone, he’ll truly be the Mike linebacker in the middle of the defense – the leader of Raheem Morris’ unit.
The Rams will still need to add a linebacker in the draft or free agency. Travin Howard is a free agent, as is Christian Rozeboom. That leaves Jones and Jake Hummel as the only linebackers under contract in 2023.
However, they absolutely don’t need to break the bank for one or use a premium draft pick on the position. They drafted Jones to assume the role as the No. 1 linebacker two years ago, and it’s his time to do that now.
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