https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/02/22/k-j-wright-wants-to-stay-in-seattle-but-wont-take-a-hometown-discount/#comments
I think K.J.'s going to find out that the market for LB's who's best days are behind them... Isn't going to get him a big payday somewhere else!

Hes gone..Time to move on.

He played like one of the best linebackers in the league last year. If he can get a payday, I'm all for him going to do it. He deserves it.

If he can find a team to overpay him in this salary-cap-strapped situation, then more power to him! If not, then Welcome Back KJ!

He shouldn't take less. He balled out.

Bobby on the other hand...

Eh, negotiations have to start somewhere. I expect he'll be back at a discount.

He should not take less..RW didn't and besides all $ and picks are for RW's
special OL he needs.

Players that want to stay tell the media "i wont take a hometown discount", players than want to get top dollar on the market say "I love it here and want to stay"

KJ is a Seahawk FL. I thought when we resigned him it was an overpaymwnt but he proved to be well worth it. He wont even get $7m in FA, i think $5mil is his market and we will see.

I think i'd rather pay KJ $10m than pay Bobby $18m.

I still think we should have traded him in the 2019 offseason

Maelstrom787 wrote:He played like one of the best linebackers in the league last year. If he can get a payday, I'm all for him going to do it. He deserves it.

Dude doesn't have much time left. If he can get a lot of money from another team he can't get from the Seahawks he should take the money. If it's close enough for him he may be happier to stay in Seattle. Regardless, he'll do what's good for him and that's fine. He seems like a good dude and I hope things go well for him.

KJ is running out of time for a one year 'prove it' deal. Hopefully this is a starting point for negotiations and they can work something out. If not, next man up.

Wenhawk wrote:Players that want to stay tell the media "i wont take a hometown discount", players than want to get top dollar on the market say "I love it here and want to stay"

KJ is a Seahawk FL. I thought when we resigned him it was an overpaymwnt but he proved to be well worth it. He wont even get $7m in FA, i think $5mil is his market and we will see.

I think i'd rather pay KJ $10m than pay Bobby $18m.

Agreed! KJ is worth $8-10m, Wagner is NOT playing like he’s worth $18m

KJ is one of the smartest LB's in the league, and that does have value. He's seen it all, he's covered it all, and he is an asset to any defense.

Having said this, I think his value is highest in Seattle. I don't think he would do as well on another team with new players and system.

I don't think he'd get a big deal on the free agent market. So I do think we could get him on another one year deal for around 10M. Which IMO is fair........especially after we ask Bobby to take a pay cut or get cut. No one's paying him 18M, or even 15M.

Everyone whos badmouthing Bobby: You mean the guy who was #7 in the entire league for tackles????

I think he will be playing elsewhere in 2021 .

Welshers wrote:Everyone whos badmouthing Bobby: You mean the guy who was #7 in the entire league for tackles????

Holy $h!t man. You are right. Someone had to say it.

And an all pro, yet again...…...

Welshers wrote:Everyone whos badmouthing Bobby: You mean the guy who was #7 in the entire league for tackles????

I'm not for cutting Bobby, but 17M cap hit in 2021 and 21M in 2022 is too much for me.........and Pete and John agree, it's why they drafted Brooks, to take over the MLB role when Bobby leaves.

Too many other glaring needs on the defensive side of the ball to have your MLB soaking up 20-25% of your defensive cap. So yes, I'd approach Bobby to renegotiate the remaining two years. Can't see another team giving him 17M and 21M if he's cut.

It's not a great value for Wagner, but if it comes down to it, I'd rather overpay and keep him than lose him without adequate compensation.

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Welshers wrote:Everyone whos badmouthing Bobby: You mean the guy who was #7 in the entire league for tackles????

I'm not for cutting Bobby, but 17M cap hit in 2021 and 21M in 2022 is too much for me.........and Pete and John agree, it's why they drafted Brooks, to take over the MLB role when Bobby leaves.

Too many other glaring needs on the defensive side of the ball to have your MLB soaking up 20-25% of your defensive cap. So yes, I'd approach Bobby to renegotiate the remaining two years. Can't see another team giving him 17M and 21M if he's cut.

The drafted brooks because he is a good backer. Not to replace at that point. Otherwise he would be doing it already and bobby would have been sitting or gone. Brooks is here for when bobby or wright leave. Which wont come overall until one leaves. Gurantee he doesnt replace unless an injury occurs. Now if they switch to a 34 they could play bobby, brooks and wright simultaneously.

Maelstrom787 wrote:It's not a great value for Wagner, but if it comes down to it, I'd rather overpay and keep him than lose him without adequate compensation.

It is a good value because he is still one of the best in the league and he is already under contract. Take age out of it. If he keeps producing the way he does...always has...never let up...why should he even consider a paycut?

jamescasey1124 wrote:

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Welshers wrote:Everyone whos badmouthing Bobby: You mean the guy who was #7 in the entire league for tackles????

I'm not for cutting Bobby, but 17M cap hit in 2021 and 21M in 2022 is too much for me.........and Pete and John agree, it's why they drafted Brooks, to take over the MLB role when Bobby leaves.

Too many other glaring needs on the defensive side of the ball to have your MLB soaking up 20-25% of your defensive cap. So yes, I'd approach Bobby to renegotiate the remaining two years. Can't see another team giving him 17M and 21M if he's cut.

The drafted brooks because he is a good backer. Not to replace at that point. Otherwise he would be doing it already and bobby would have been sitting or gone. Brooks is here for when bobby or wright leave. Which wont come overall until one leaves. Gurantee he doesnt replace unless an injury occurs. Now if they switch to a 34 they could play bobby, brooks and wright simultaneously.

That's not how a 3-4 works. The entire prototype for outside linebacker would change and all 3 of those guys would project to ILB in a 3-4, of which there are only 2 spots.

In nickel situations, one of the ILBs would likely come off the field, too, meaning only a single player from the Wags/Brooks/Wright trio would be on the field.

It's like saying you want to move to an offense solely out of the I-Form because more running backs will be on the field. Like, sure, but fullbacks are very different players.

He had his best season in 2020, but on the other hand he is 31 years old. K.J clearly has lost a step, but he made up for that with savvy. That being said, he has 1 or 2 more years if that of good/elite play in him. At this point you need to start making tough salary cap decisions like this. We've got DK, and Jamal Adams coming up -- those two are going to hurt, a lot.

KJ can play SAM for another 2 seasons, he’s too slow for WILL and is a serviceable in game back up for WILL & Mike. KJ needs to go shopping then let Seattle know what kind of offer he’s gotten. I highly doubt KJ is going to get the $ he wants from other teams then Seattle can make him happy by beating the best offer KJ secures.

Who do you want the FO to keep.....BW or KJ? Seems unlikely that we can pay both.

If a guy wants to win he waits, you see what's offered and string it out if it's not at your target number for the chance to keep winning.

Then you look around the league for other cuts and who may have interest, who of those teams has a chance to win it all, that will require waiting more. A team like the Patriots can bounce back fast, they know how, they need a QB, depending on who that is helps you with a decision, Packers maybe, that's if you want to win over salary.

If your going for the money then it really doesn't matter who you end up with.

I don't think KJ is one of those.

How dare he! He should bow down to the whims of fans and play for free! Then we can get all the best o-linemen to play for us for free too!

How can Pete and JS not come up with such a brilliant plan? Fire them!

Bigpumpkin wrote:Who do you want the FO to keep.....BW or KJ? Seems unlikely that we can pay both.

Easy, just convince everyone to take a pay cut so we can field a stacked roster. If the fans say so, it must be the solution

I hate the idea of either BW or KJ leaving but both are at the end of their careers & I think Our QB’s best ball is behind him. We can’t trade RW unless there’s a replacement in the draft & we can find a suitable temporary QB.
What I’m saying is the RW situation could force us to trade BW to acquire picks that can be used on a 2nd round QB in the draft, if that happens KJ will provide incredible mentorship & SAM play.

We are set up right now to move on from BW because Brooks is capable of playing Mike on run downs right now & Cody Barton is capable of playing passing downs at Mike. The draft should have a future starter at WILL, BBK can play WILL good but he’s undersized for long term durability. The SAM in Carroll’s doesn’t have to be the best athlete and the WILL can be any size as long as he can chase down ball carriers. Shaqueem Griffith is the LB that’s not working out, a 5th round pick for a special teams ace is pricey.

If the Hawks dis him he might have the last laugh playing in SF . It can certainly happen . IMO

I don't keep spreadsheets of everything, but to my eyes and recollection it seems like KJ made more big plays for our defense last year than every other player combined.