20. Bobby Wagner, LB, Seattle
There are many reasons why the Seahawks made Wagner the highest-paid middle linebacker in the NFL earlier this year and why he’s one of the few holdovers from the team that won the Super Bowl. Wagner has been to five straight Pro Bowls and is just a tackling machine. It’s not just that he racks up numbers, but he makes key plays in important spots. When the Seahawks need to get a stop on 3rd down or force a turnover, Wagner is the guy that usually makes it happen.
There’s been plenty of personnel turnover on Seattle’s defense in recent years, but Wagner remains one of the few constants. He’ll have a much younger supporting cast in 2019 than he’s had in past years, but Wagner will remain the leader. If the Seahawks end up having a top-10 defense, Wagner will probably be the biggest reason why.
