Bobby Wagner to miss season finale. Pete Carroll wants him to be with Seahawks ‘forever’
Bobby Wagner’s 10th NFL season will end on the sidelines.
But he — and his coach — don’t see this as the way the All-Pro linebacker’s time with the Seahawks will end.
Seattle on Friday ruled Wagner out for the team’s final game Sunday at Arizona. He sprained his knee on the first play of Seattle’s home win over Detroit last weekend.
“If it had been close, we’d have gone farther with it. He’s got some swelling and it just didn’t loosen up enough,” Carroll said.
“If he could, if there was any way, he would. But he can’t.”
Wagner has made 66 consecutive regular-season and postseason starts. Sunday will be his first game missed since week two of the 2018 season when he missed a Monday night game in Chicago, also because of injury.
Cody Barton will make his first middle-linebacker start of his career Sunday. The Seahawks’ third-round choice in the 2019 played the final 62 of 63 defensive plays for Wagner against the Lions last weekend.
Barton has made six NFL starts, including two in the postseason for Seattle, at outside linebacker.
Now he will be in the middle calling the Seahawks’ plays Sunday.
“He is so well-grooved at what he’s doing,” Carroll said.
“These guys go fast (the Cardinals), a high-tempo team. So he’s got a lot of burden in that regard. But nothing he can’t handle. I’m expecting him to play very well.”
Carroll said an MRI exam on Wagner’s knee Sunday night showed he did not need surgery and the injury was relatively minor.
Wagner will now have all winter, spring into summer to rest and recuperate.
He said Wednesday he wanted to play in Arizona, to set an example to younger teammates how to professionally finish this lost season.
Seattle is 6-10, its first losing season since 2011, the final year before the team drafted Wagner and quarterback Russell Wilson. The Seahawks will miss the playoffs for just the second time in 10 years.
Wagner’s season ends with him owning the Seahawks’ new record for tackles in a season, 170. He led the NFL again in stops until his injury last weekend.
His contract ends after the 2022 season. It carries a salary-cap charge of $20.35 million. The Seahawks could save $16.6 million is they decided to release their co-captain before next season.
Then again, they wouldn’t have Bobby Wagner as the centerpiece and signal caller for the defense if they did that.
“I would love Bobby to play here forever,” Carroll said Friday.
“I don’t see why we would be thinking anything else.”
Carroll again praised Wagner for his elite play and all the coach and his captain have been through in 10 years.
Two weeks ago Wagner said he was pondering his and the team’s future because inevitably there will be changes this offseason following a losing year.
This week he said he isn’t wondering whether he’s played his final game as a Seahawk.
“Not really, because in my mind I don’t feel like this is my last time,” he said. “I don’t feel like this is my last time putting on a Seahawks uniform. I don’t feel like this is my last time doing that.
“I understand there is a business side to this, but there’s a lot of optimism on my end that I’ll be back. I’m not worried about it. ...
“To me, I don’t see it as that was my last game or this next game could be my last game.”
Wagner said he injury to close this difficult season has renewed his spirit for a 2022 comeback.
“If anything, it made me hungrier. ...It made me want to get healthy, workout and do everything I can to come back stronger, faster, smarter next year and continue playing at a high level,” He said. “I’m a big Lakers fan and watching LeBron (James) is really inspirational. I think I have that in me, and I have the work ethic to do that.”
Jackson, Dissly game-time decisions
Starting right guard Gabe Jackson and tight end Will Dissly are questionable for Sunday.
Carroll said Jackson’s sore knee the team has been managing during practice weeks the latter half of the season got worse this week.
Phil Haynes is an option to start if Jackson cannot in Arizona. Haynes was physical and impressive in run blocking down the field for Rashaad Penny’s 170-yard rushing day last weekend against the Lions. Haynes started that game because left guard Damien Lewis was on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Lewis and cornerback Sidney Jones returned off the COVID list this week. They are readying to play the Cardinals.
Dissly has a heel injury Carroll said he hasn’t seen before. It sounds less likely than Jackson that Dissly plays in Arizona.
COVID returnee?
Carroll said defensive end Alton Robinson “should” come off the COVID list Saturday. He would then play Sunday.
Defensive tackle Al Woods and fill-in starting safety Ryan Neal remained on the COVID list. They appear unlikely to play in Arizona.
Neal has been starting since Jamal Adams had season-ending shoulder surgery last month.
Niguel Warrior, usually a backup cornerback, is one option to start at strong safety. Carroll said they are multiple options there, though he coyly did not specify who will start next to Quandre Diggs at safety against Arizona.
This story was originally published January 7, 2022 at 2:36 PM.
