There are certain players who live rent-free in the minds of Cowboys fans as the ones that got away, stars who could’ve/should’ve/would’ve worn the star except for some simple twist of fate. The ones that hurt the most are the ones who were right there for the taking… until someone in the front office just couldn’t bring themselves to pull the trigger.
Hall of Famer Randy Moss comes to mind, famously passed over by Dallas in the 1998 draft after a very public courtship. T.J. Watt, last season’s Defensive Player of the Year, is a more recent example; the Cowboys left him on the board in 2017 so they could instead select Taco Charlton.
Now Cowboys Nation can add eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner to that list.
The ten-year veteran signed a $65 million contract to join the Los Angeles Rams in free agency last week, but the former Seahawk has revealed that he nearly came to Dallas after weeks of widespread speculation.
“That was a real thing,” Wagner told CNBC’s Jabari Young of his open flirtation with the Cowboys. “We had conversations. I love [defensive coordinator] Dan Quinn and have a lot of respect for him. But between their needs and what they were willing to spend, we couldn’t agree. But there was mutual interest.”
What the Cowboys were willing to spend will be the subject of criticism from the fanbase every time Wagner’s name is mentioned for the rest of time.
Just two weeks before the Rams inked Wagner to his five-year deal, the Cowboys thought they had defensive end Randy Gregory locked up. Jerry and Stephen Jones were apparently willing to sign Gregory to a new $70 million pact, before a disagreement over contract language brought their seven-year relationship to a sudden and ugly end.
To recap, the Cowboys were ready to spend $70 million on the 29-year-old Gregory who missed essentially three whole seasons, but were unwilling to give $65 million to a 31-year-old six-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champ.
That Wagner’s deal with the Rams is actually for $50 million and only hits the higher figure if he achieves certain incentives is even more infuriating for Cowboys fans. They continue to watch the planet’s richest sports franchise- who hasn’t been to a Super Bowl in a quarter-century yet just raised ticket prices- talk about all the things they can’t afford.
Or, to put it more accurately, stubbornly won’t fork out for.
One has to believe the Joneses, who love to espouse all the intangible benefits that come with playing for America’s Team, could have found numerous ways to sweeten the deal for Wagner, who represented himself in negotiations instead of working with an agent.
“I felt like I was in a good situation where I knew how to handle my emotions and what stage of my career I’m in,” Wagner explained. “I just wanted to get the right deal for me.”
Wagner says that signing with the Rams allows him to return to his native city of Los Angeles, it keeps him in the familiar NFC West on Sundays, and it allows him to travel easily back to Seattle, where he will maintain a residence.
“Between the Rams and Cowboys – those are teams that have been around for a long time and have a lot of history,” he added. “Being able to be a part of any of those franchises boosts your notoriety. And I landed on one.”
Just not the right one, as far as Cowboys fans are concerned.
And likely will be for some time.
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