Will Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner return for a 15th NFL season in 2026? According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Wagner fully intends to play in 2026.
But commanders may not. Wagner turns 36 in June and becomes an unrestricted free agent next month. In two seasons in Washington, Wagner started all 34 regular season games and recorded 294 tackles, including 18 for loss, 6.5 sacks, two interceptions and 17 quarterback hits. He rarely leaves the field.
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While Wagner can obviously still play at a high level, opposing teams often successfully target him. The Commanders were one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season and struggled in almost every aspect. Still, Wagner was productive, making history in Week 18 when he recorded his 2,000th career tackle. He became the third player in NFL history to win the honor, joining Ray Lewis and London Fletcher.
General manager Adam Peters made it clear during the season-ending press conference that the point guard needed to get “younger and faster.” Washington values ​​Wagner’s performance on the field but especially appreciates his leadership on and off the field.
Head coach Dan Quinn spoke briefly about Wagner on Tuesday at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.
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“We love Vargoz and one of my favorite moments of the year was getting the chance to visit with him after he won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award,” Quinn said. “Very proud. We don’t have the details yet on what the future holds and where we are at this point, but that will be in the coming days and weeks.”
Free agency opens in two weeks, and Wagner is worth $7.7 million in 2026, according to Spotrac. The Commanders have plenty of cap space, so it’ll be interesting if they value what Wagner brings to the table rather than getting younger.
This article originally appeared in Commanders Wire: Washington Commander: Bobby Wagner makes decision for 2026
