Cowboys must keep an eye on Bobby Wagner

On Thursday, the Rams and Bobby Wagner agreed upon his release, which should pique the Cowboys' interest. 

Last offseason, the Cowboys briefly recruited the eight-time Pro Bowler before deciding he was too expensive. Wagner signed a five-year, $50 million contract with Los Angeles. 

Per OverTheCap, the Cowboys are $7.2M over the cap, so adding him could be a squeeze, but the circumstances are different. 

"With a $6.8M charge in dead money, Jaylon Smith counted more against the Cowboys' salary cap last season than any LB on the roster," wrote The Dallas Morning News' Michael Gehlken. "The fact Smith, who was released in 2021, is off the financial books for the 2023 season could allow more license to invest at the position."

Also, Dallas has three free-agent linebackers (Leighton Vander Esch, Anthony Barr and Luke Gifford). If one or two linebackers leave, the Cowboys can sign Wagner. 

Per Gehlken, Wagner wants to play for a contender like Dallas. Also, he played under Dallas DC Dan Quinn in Seattle when it won Super Bowl XLVIII. 

Although Wagner is expensive and 32 years old, he's worth it because he's not slowing down. Pro Football Focus graded him as the site's No. 1 LB, and he made second-team All-Pro in 2022.