Bobby Wagner

[zephirus]

Is now a free agent. I'd sign him in a heartbeat. He's still among the best linebackers in the game and has a couple years left in the tank I imagine. Would be a good mentor to our young group lb as well.

[DaveBrown74]

Turns 33 in June. Definitely getting up there.

The FA LB class is robust. Lots of options. He is one of them.

[Jclayton92]

Turns 33 in June. Definitely getting up there.

The FA LB class is robust. Lots of options. He is one of them.

I agree the Middle linebacker market is so robust that they'll like undercut each other which benefits us assuming we have cap to sign one.

[LennG]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/rams-to-part-ways-with-eight-time-pro-bowler-after-just-one-season/ar-AA17RQAs?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=306ce3db22af454393a8aefcf90ca06e&ei=11

As the cost-cutting season begins to take shape around the NFL, a major name on the defensive side of the ball is set to hit the open market. The Rams are mutually parting ways with linebacker Bobby Wagner, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter.

 I know this is just dreaming but he sure would look good in Giant Blue and solve a multitude of problems at the LB position.

Now if we didn't sign Jones and went with another, cheaper QB, we could afford this guy. Anyway, just dreaming

[uconnjack8]

His most recent contract averaged $12 million.  Seems like his next would average less.

Not sure signing a guy of his age is the best move for the Giants, but he would be a huge improvement obviously.

[Bob In PA]

Is now a free agent. I'd sign him in a heartbeat. He's still among the best linebackers in the game and has a couple years left in the tank I imagine. Would be a good mentor to our young group lb as well.

Lee: I want that to be true, but watching the playoffs IMO he probably got paid more than he was worth.

He hasn't lost his instincts and game knowledge. Those items make up a lot for loss of speed but not completely.

Clearly, he's better than what the Giants have and would be a good example for the younger guys.

He's a great addition to a team that thinks (like I guess the Rams did) they're inches away from the big game.

IMO if Schoen/Daboll think that's true of the Giants (I do not) then a one-year deal might make sense.

Bob

[uconnjack8]

Lee: I want that to be true, but watching the playoffs IMO he probably got paid more than he was worth.

He hasn't lost his instincts and game knowledge. Those items make up a lot for loss of speed but not completely.

Clearly, he's better than what the Giants have and would be a good example for the younger guys.

He's a great addition to a team that thinks (like I guess the Rams did) they're inches away from the big game.

IMO if Schoen/Daboll think that's true of the Giants (I do not) then a one-year deal might make sense.

Bob

Bob,

I think it's worth mentioning that Wagner has said he wants to play for a team that is going to be in the mix for a championship next year.   So it's not just Schoen who would need to feel that way, Wagner would need to as well.

[MightyGiants]

Turns 33 in June. Definitely getting up there.

The FA LB class is robust. Lots of options. He is one of them.

The Giants have some cap space, but it's limited (in consideration of their own starters who are UFAs)

Older veterans who can contribute for a year or two at a relatively low price are one of the ways to get the most out of cap space.

That said, I see Edge, CB, WR and maybe DI as positions where the team is more likely to sign an aging vet

[zephirus]

Lee: I want that to be true, but watching the playoffs IMO he probably got paid more than he was worth.

He hasn't lost his instincts and game knowledge. Those items make up a lot for loss of speed but not completely.

Clearly, he's better than what the Giants have and would be a good example for the younger guys.

He's a great addition to a team that thinks (like I guess the Rams did) they're inches away from the big game.

IMO if Schoen/Daboll think that's true of the Giants (I do not) then a one-year deal might make sense.

Bob

If he's super insistent on playing for a contender then perhaps he doesn't even give us too much thought.  That said he has the look and feel of a Lomas Brown, Micheal Barrow kind of signing that brings solid veteran leadership.  I watched him last year and I did not see any drop off.  The stats also kind of bear that out - 140 tackles, 6 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions.  Given the dearth of middle line-backers set to hit the market, I'd play wait and see. If some of the younger guys go first and he's not getting nibbles, maybe we can approach him with a more modest deal. 

[Philosophers]

Yes he is good, but his value would be to a team ready to get to Super Bowl next year.  If you think the Giants are say 3 years away, then no, he'd be too old.

Giants need to focus on sub-27 year old FAs.

[MightyGiants]

Yes he is good, but his value would be to a team ready to get to Super Bowl next year.  If you think the Giants are say 3 years away, then no, he'd be too old.

Giants need to focus on sub-27 year old FAs.

The Giants got to the final 8 this season, why can't they compete for a SB next year?

[zephirus]

Yes he is good, but his value would be to a team ready to get to Super Bowl next year.  If you think the Giants are say 3 years away, then no, he'd be too old.

Giants need to focus on sub-27 year old FAs.

I couldn't disagree more.  People need to get beyond this "are we ready to compete for a Superbowl" mindset when it comes to roster construction.  Look at the Buffalo Bills - they got overzealous with contracts and are no closer to a Superbowl today than they were last year or 2 years ago.  Smart teams should always be looking for talent across the age spectrum, with an eye towards being responsible with the cap. 

Sam Madison was 32 when he joined the Giants and was instrumental in bringing along youngsters Corey Webster and Aaron Ross in 2007 a year later. 

Lomas Brown was 37 when the Giants signed him and paid immediate dividends taking them to a Superbowl (and who would have said that in the 1999 off-season the Giants were "ready to compete for a Superbowl"?).

Deon Grant was 31 when he came to the Giants in 2010. 

Wagner will not come as cheaply as any of those guys did, but to think adding veteran talent to an aspiring team at good market value?  The Patriots had a cottage industry on acquiring "old" free agents and turned it into 3 Superbowls.

[Ed Vette]

Yes he is good, but his value would be to a team ready to get to Super Bowl next year.  If you think the Giants are say 3 years away, then no, he'd be too old.

Giants need to focus on sub-27-year-old FAs.

I agree. The MLB position breaks down a player's body as much as a RB. It's a collision position. In Newton's third law, when two objects interact, they apply forces to each other of equal magnitude and opposite direction.

He would be a good interim player as they break in a rookie but his price may not be cost-effective.   

[Bob In PA]

The Giants got to the final 8 this season, why can't they compete for a SB next year?

Rich: IMO they will compete for it, but probably only in the same manner they "competed" for it this year.

"Too many" teams make the playoffs (meaning more than the number that have a serious chance to win unless there are extraordinary circumstances, which usually means untimely injuries to key players on the best teams).

Giants are most likely to AGAIN fall into the category "not good enough to win it all, but good enough to not qualify for a premium 1st-round draft pick.

Bob

[jimmyz]

All this talk of signing someone else's spent veteran LB is giving me yucky JR vibes. Are we really back to the LB no importante mantra?  After 25 years maybe it's just become tradition to ignore the position while being slowly bled on sundays by backs and tight ends and wishing we had someone tough, smart and athletic enough to do something about it.