National Football League

Report: Bobby Wagner, Seahawks discussing contract

Published Jun. 8, 2015 5:22 p.m. ET

foxsports

By Tim Weaver

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article worrying about why the Seattle Seahawks hadn’t begun talking to middle linebacker Bobby Wagner about a contract extension. Wagner is the foundation of Seattle’s league-best defense and the negotiations are crucial to the team’s future.

On Monday, we got an encouraging report that says the Seahawks are finally talking to Wagner, per NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

I think we can expect Wagner’s people to ask for no less than $10 million annually. That will be a hard sell to Seahawks general manager John Schneider and company, who are already in talks with their franchise quarterback for a lucrative extension.

As Rapoport mentioned, there is a cause and effect relationship at work here.

"The Wagner and Wilson talks do affect each other," Rapoport wrote on Twitter. "If both are unsigned after 2015, #Seahawks can only tag (one) of them. No worry if (one) gets a deal."

If the Seahawks can find a way to get Wilson and Wagner locked up long term, their championship core will be totally intact. If they lose one of them, it will significantly shrink their Super Bowl window.

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