There’s something about LA Rams All-Pro LB Bobby Wagner

Looking ahead

And yet, I don’t expect that is how Bobby Wagner views the LA Rams. This is not a pit stop to recharge, refuel, and head out to another big payday. He is an NFL veteran who is coming home to grow roots in the community and pay it forward.

But he is more than a veteran defender seeking the solace of his hometown community before he ends his long and storied NFL career. He brings to the LA Rams defense what Matthew Stafford had brought to the LA Rams offense a year ago.  That’s not my opinion, but rather that of Rams’ latest All-Pro wide receiver Cooper Kupp:

"““He’s just a pro. He knows what he’s seeing, and he sees what he knows,” said Kupp. “He doesn’t waste time. He trusts his instincts. He’s in the right place. He’s just like, a calm demeanor on that side where you know he’s leading the way over there — which is impressive for someone who is just coming in. Just the way he carries himself pre- and post-snap is very impressive to see.When that calm demeanor is going from the inside out, it’s good to know that you’re getting clear and concise communication … I think it matches, really, a lot of the stuff we do on offense in terms of how Matthew communicates from the inside-out.” – Cooper Kupp as quoted by The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue (subscription required)"

And what does DC Raheem Morris have to say? I was hoping you might ask.

That means quite a bit. Not only does Wagner process as quickly as QB Matthew Stafford, but he does so at a speed that lets everyone around him know what is going on.

That means that young linebackers like Ernest Jones, Travin Howard, Justin Hollins, and Chris Garrett, for example, will be getting real-time intel on each play. And just like how Aaron Donald improves the entire defensive front, and Matthew Stafford bolsters the entire receiving corps, Bobby Wagner’s presence will elevate the play of the defense.

That is worth talking about.