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Should the Chargers Sign Bobby Wagner?
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- Should the Chargers Sign Bobby Wagner?
While there is ample optimism and even hype surrounding the Los Angeles Chargers going into Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, the team has some definite concerns at multiple position groups.
One of those concerning position groups is linebacker. Pro Football Focus recently ranked the Chargers' linebacker room at No. 24, and the team especially lacks reliable or proven interior linebackers.
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It may be too late for Los Angeles to make a big personnel splash in that department, but there is one free agent interior linebacker who is still available: Bobby Wagner , who, at the very least, seems like an intriguing option.
The case for Wagner
Nov 16, 2025; Madrid, Spain; Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) reacts after a play against the Miami Dolphins in the fourth quarter during the 2025 NFL Madrid Game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Wagner, who is 36 years of age, put up good numbers last season as a member of the Washington Commanders . He registered 162 total tackles (79 solo), 4.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss, four passes defended and two interceptions, and he appeared in all 17 games for the fourth straight year.
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He isn't quite the same player as he was when he was manning the second level of the Seattle Seahawks ' "Legion of Boom" defense several years ago and helped the team win the Super Bowl to end the 2013 season. But he could serve as a stopgap solution for the Bolts until they find a young prospect who can be a cornerstone at one of their inside linebacker spots.
Denzel Perryman , one of the team's starting interior linebackers, is beginning this season on injured reserve , which means he won't be available for the first four games of the schedule. Starting in Week 3, the squad will face a gauntlet, as it will play the Buffalo Bills that week in Upstate New York before it visits the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks.
As recently as the 2024 season, Wagner helped Washington reach the NFC Championship Game. He spent the 2022 season with the Los Angeles Rams , and he was born in Los Angeles before attending high school in Ontario, which is about 40 miles east of downtown L.A., so he isn't exactly unfamiliar with the Southland.
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The case against Wagner
Nov 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
If the Chargers bring in Wagner, he could potentially take snaps and playing time away from young prospects such as Marlowe Wax , who had a strong preseason and is thought to have potential, and Junior Colson .
Above all, there is the question of how much Wagner has left in his tank. In an article that listed the free agents who remain available, Daniel Popper of The Athletic expressed some doubt that Wagner can consistently contribute.
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"Wagner turned 36 in June, and last season with the Commanders, his diminishing athleticism affected his performance as a coverage player," Popper wrote . "He cannot make plays sideline to sideline like he could when he was earning All-Pro recognition six times."
Still, Wagner could contribute in blitz packages, such as the ones new L.A. defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary is expected to involve his linebackers in. After all, the team could do worse than him, and his wealth of experience wouldn't exactly hurt a fairly young roster.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
