Green Bay Packers sign Ricky Wagner: Grade, reaction and more
By John Buhler
Former Detroit Lions offensive tackle Ricky Wagner signs with the Green Bay Packers on a two-year deal worth $11 million. Here is the grade and reaction.
Because the Detroit Lions released their former right tackle Ricky Wagner shortly before the start of 2020 NFL free agency, he was allowed to sign with any team of his choosing before it officially opened. After spending the last three years in Detroit, Wagner has opted to sign a two-year deal worth $11 million to play for his home state’s Green Bay Packers.
The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo were the first to break the news of Wagner’s signing with Green Bay. 2020 will be Wagner’s eighth NFL season out of Wisconsin. He was a former fifth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2013 NFL Draft after winning three Big Ten Championships during his time in Madison.
The West Allis, Wisconsin native has played in 102 games, making 87 combined starts in his four seasons with the Ravens and his three with the Lions. As Rapoport reported, Wagner’s signing with Green Bay ensures that former Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga is good as gone. With left tackle David Bakhtiari, they formed one of the best offensive tackle tandems in all of football.
Here are the contract details of Wagner’s signing with Green Bay, as well as a national reaction and an overall grade on the signing.
Contract Details
ESPN’s Field Yates had the details of the contract. It is a two-year deal worth $11 million with $3.5 million fully guaranteed coming via a signing bonus. There is also a potential out after the 2020 NFL season, with a $1.75 million deal cap hit if Wagner were to be released before the end of this new deal.
National Reaction
The #Packers have agreed to terms with free agent RT Rick Wagner, formerly of the #Lions, per me and @MikeGarafolo. This signals what has become clear, that Bryan Bulaga is gone.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2020
The expected base value of new Packers starting RT Ricky Wagner’s deal is $11M over two years, with $3.5M fully guaranteed via a signing bonus. He can earn additional money through escalators and incentives.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 16, 2020
#Packers essentially signed both Christian Kirksey and Ricky Wagner to low-risk, one-year deals with team options for a second year. If both bust, they can get out in 2021 with big savings and relatively small dead cap hits.
— Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) March 16, 2020
Ricky Wagner by OT grade among qualifying players (20% snaps)
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) March 16, 2020
2019: 67th out of 88
2018: 32nd out of 85
2017: 18th out of 92
2016: 23rd out of 86
If '19 is an aberration, not a trend, the #Packers got an excellent deal.
The #Packers have already been active this morning signing ILB Christian Kirksey and RT Ricky Wagner, two presumed starters, but the legal tampering period is now open. Time for Brian Gutekunst and Co. to negotiate.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) March 16, 2020
Overall, it seems that the Packers like the potential value player here in Wagner. Though he’s never been the player Bulaga was at his peak, getting a solid starting right tackle for only $11 million over two years is the type of move the Packers need to make to stay Super Bowl competitive in 2020. They also signed former Cleveland Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey on Monday morning.
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Is Wagner a step down from Bulaga? Yes, but the Packers were able to pry a right tackle away from a division rival and sign him to a team-friendly deal with not much of a dead cap hit if he doesn’t pan out in 2020. With Wagner only entering his age-30 season, this feels like a low-risk, high-reward type of signing for Green Bay. It’s not sexy, but it certainly gets the job done.