SPOKANE, Wash. — Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagners wants to be the highest paid inside linebacker in the NFL.
That was what he said May 21 in a press conference during voluntary offseason workouts. Wagner wants more than New York Jets linebacker CJ Mosley's contract, which is worth $85 million over five years.
That is about $7 million more a year than Wagner makes right now.
Over the each guy's stats in the past three years, their pass defense numbers are similar. But Wagner has totaled over 100 more tackles than Mosley in that time.
So by current market value, Wagner's production is worth the money.
Paying him seems like a better option than letting the heart and soul of your defense walk away to another team.
The real question becomes age. Mosley is 26 years old. Wagner will be 30 by the 2020 season when his new contract would start.