Green Bay Packers: Pros and Cons to Signing Ricky Wagner
The Green Bay Packers have reportedly come to an agreement with right tackle Ricky Wagner. Where can he help and where does he need improvement?
The Green Bay Packers were busy bees before the legal tampering period even began on Monday, acquiring two players who were previously released from their teams. Both inside linebacker Christian Kirksey and right tackle Ricky Wagner found new homes with the Packers.
Wagner was released by the Detroit Lions a week ago and won’t count against the compensation pick Green Bay will get with Bryan Bulaga signing elsewhere. That was apparently an attractive factor to general manager Brian Gutekunst, as he targeted two players at positions of need that wouldn’t hurt their extra picks in 2021.
Wagner, a former University of Wisconsin product, was drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and spent his first four seasons with the team. He moved on to Detroit in 2017 and will now be on the third team of his career. Let’s get to know him a little better by checking out the pros and cons of this signing:
Pro: Good Value
The Packers and Wagner agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with base salaries of just $2.25 million each season. That’s a heck of a deal for a starting-caliber right tackle in this league. Wagner got a heck of a lot less than Bulaga and the contract will probably be significantly less than Jared Veldheer–the Packers’ backup right tackle last season.
This keeps Green Bay in the position to sign a big-name free agent moving forward, as they’ve still preserved cap space. Not bad.
Con: Downgrade at Right Tackle
Despite Wagner signing a team-friendly contract, he’s clearly a downgrade from Bryan Bulaga. In 2019, Bulaga showed why he’s one of the best tackles in the league, starting every contest and having tremendous success in both the run and pass games.
Wagner doesn’t possess that same ability, even in his best seasons. Gutekunst had to bite the bullet and accept he didn’t improve his offensive line with this transaction. He’ll have to demonstrate with future moves how he’s going to make the team better, instead.
Pro: Durability
Another area Wagner differs from Bulaga in is durability. Bulaga has missed significant chunks of multiple seasons due to injuries and never appears to be able to stay fully healthy. Don’t get me wrong, Wagner has battled some injuries of his own, but he’s appeared in at least 15 games in five of his seven seasons. Wagner may not be as good as a healthy Bulaga, but sometimes availability is the best ability.
Next. Pros and Cons to Signing Christian Kirksey. dark
Con: Coming off a Down Season
If it wasn’t for the 2019 season, Wagner likely would’ve gotten a much higher pay raise. After posting Pro Football Focus grades of at least 71.6 from 2016-2018, that number slipped all the way to 59.0 in 2019. Not great, Bob.
Hopefully, his grade was merely a down season and not the beginning of a downward spiral. If the Packers are getting the 2019 version of Wagner, they will need additional help on their offensive line. However, if they’re getting the 2016-2018 version–look out!