PFF notes Wagner remains a valuable veteran, even as his coverage prowess has declined with age. His strengths as a run defender and a blitzer keep him in the mix for high-level play, and this season he was the only linebacker to post 90.0+ PFF grades in run defense (90.3), pass rushing (92.4) and tackling (90.5).
Wagner hit a milestone in 2025, recording 162 tackles to reach 2,000 for his career, making him the third player in NFL history to reach that mark and moving him within reach of the all-time tackles record. Former Commanders linebacker London Fletcher presented Wagner with the game ball after Wagner surpassed 2,000 tackles in Week 18 against the Eagles.
The veteran was on a one-year, $9 million contract in 2025, and market projections for his next move place his value around a one-year deal in the upper single digits, roughly $7.7 million, according to Spotrac.
Hall of Fame considerations accompany Wagner’s on-field impact. His Pro Football Hall of Fame Monitor (HOFm) score stood at 114.10 heading into 2026, ranking seventh all-time among inside linebackers, and he remains the only active player among the top HOFm benchmarks in that group.
If Wagner does transition to a new team, a contender such as the Bills would make sense. Buffalo has faced run-defense struggles and could benefit from a veteran presence to overhaul its linebacking corps, especially with contracts for Matt Milano and Shaq Thompson expiring in coming years.
