RENTON, Wash. – Had things turned out just a little differently, Bobby Wagner could well have ended up playing for Mike Macdonald.
But not in Seattle.
After Wagner was released by the Seahawks in 2022 and began searching for a new team for which to play, one of his most serious suitors was the Baltimore Ravens.
Wagner visited the Ravens facility in March of that year, which was shortly after Macdonald returned to the team in a new role as defensive coordinator after spending the 2021 season in a similar capacity at Michigan.
With the Seahawks meeting up with Wagner on Sunday when they face the Washington Commanders, Macdonald was asked what he remembered about Wagner visiting the Ravens in 2022.
“It was great,” he said. “There’s a kind of gravitas to him. It’s Bobby Wagner, and he’s coming in for a visit. I was a first-year coordinator, so I didn’t do a lot of talking, I just let him talk. It’s what you expected in terms of just the person and the poise, and we were excited for the opportunity.”
Wagner ultimately signed with the Rams, which allowed him to play at home.
In the process, Wagner was reported to have turned down a bit more money. He made $7.25 million in the 2022 season with the Rams, while the Ravens reportedly offered him a two-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $18.5 million.
“Obviously, he decided to go (to the Rams),” Macdonald said. “I think it was going to be a big move going to the East Coast. Or at least you thought that at the time, maybe not a few years later when he goes to Washington. It was a great visit; we’ve got a ton of respect for him. I was hoping it was going to work out.”
Wagner was released by the Rams following the 2022 season which allowed him to return to Seattle in 2023. He became a free agent after he was not re-signed after Pete Carroll was let go as head coach and replaced by Macdonald.
That led Wagner to sign with Washington and a reunion with Commanders coach Dan Quinn, who served as defensive coordinator with the Seahawks in 2013 and 2014.
Wagner played against the Seahawks twice in 2022 and that, as well as Carroll and many others he was with during his Seattle tenure, makes any sort of “revenge angle” rather moot for this week’s game.
During a meeting with media who cover the Commanders on Thursday, Wagner downplayed the significance of playing the Seahawks other than a 3-5 Washington team that has lost three in a row needing a win.
“Nah I don’t think it is any (extra) emotions,” Wagner said. “I’ve got a lot of love for Seattle, they know that. My teammates that were there, they know the love is there. I’m just trying to get a win.”
Darnold says chest injury no big deal
Quarterback Sam Darnold showed up on the injury report Wednesday with a chest issue. It didn’t prevent him from practicing as he was listed as a full participant Wednesday and again Thursday and Darnold said during his regular meeting with media before practice Thursday that it’s not a concern.
“No,” he said. “I’ll be good.”
The injury would likely be the result of a hard hit Darnold took near the sidelines during the Houston game from linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair following a scramble in the first quarter.
The play drew a personal foul and gave the Seahawks a first down at the Houston 11 and Darnold threw a touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the next play to give the Seahawks a 14-0 lead en route to a 27-19 win.
Asked if that play was when he got hurt, Darnold said only: “I don’t know what it’s from. Just woke up a little sore the next day.”
Injury report
Safety Julian Love sat out practice again Thursday with a hamstring injury that Macdonald said Wednesday could land him on injured reserve.
Also of note – receivers Jake Bobo (Achilles) and Cooper Kupp (heel, hamstring) – were added to the report as limited.
Kupp was on the report Wednesday as a full participant but with only a heel issue, indicating the hamstring is a new ailment. Bobo had not been on the report Wednesday.
Macdonald does not talk to media on Thursdays, so there was no further info on either.
Cornerback Devon Witherspoon was listed as a full participant for the second straight day as he attempts to return from a knee injury that has held him out for all but one of the last six games.
Outside linebacker Derick Hall (oblique) was again a limited participant as was defensive lineman Jarran Reed (wrist) while tight end Eric Saubert (quad) and receiver Dareke Young (hip) again did not participate.
Smith-Njigba says he can’t dunk again
Smith-Njigba dunked the ball over the goal post following his TD catch from Darnold, a play that drew a personal foul and forced Jason Myers to make a point-after attempt from 48 yards.
It also drew Smith-Njigba a fine of $14,491 for illegally using a prop. Players used to commonly dunk the ball over the goal post, but the NFL added a rule in 2014 making such an act subject to a penalty and fine.
That ruling came in part after a game was delayed when Jimmy Graham – the former Seahawk who was then playing for the Saints – bent the cross bar after a dunk in 2013.
Smith-Njigba said Thursday the act was spontaneous.
“No, I’ve never done that in the game,” he said. “It was just a spur of the moment. I felt like I had a dream a couple days ago where I was doing pullups on the goal post, so maybe that spiked it, the imagination a little bit. But it was really spur of the moment.”
Smith-Njigba said he realized immediately he would likely be penalized and fined.
“When I came down and landed, I was like, yeah, ‘I’m getting fined,’ ” he said with a smile. “Yeah, I knew.”
Was the money worth it?
“Yes and no,” he said with another smile. “But yeah. Low key, yeah.”
Smith-Njigba said he knows he can’t do things that hurt the team.
“At the end of the day, that’s something that I can’t do and I have to know (that),” he said.
Many noted that while the play drew a penalty and fine, pictures and replays of the dunk were shown on official NFL and team social media and other outlets.
“Yeah, we had conversations about that and trying to figure it out,” Smith-Njigba said of the league highlighting a play on which he was penalized.” …I guess they can do whatever they want with that.”
Note
The Seahawks made a roster move Thursday that flipped a move they’d made Wednesday, releasing running back Velus Jones Jr. from the practice squad and bringing back running back Myles Gaskin to take his place. Seattle released Gaskin on Wednesday to bring in Jones.