Jan. 25, 2026, 4:02 a.m. ET

Will Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner return for a 15th NFL season in 2026? Considering Wagner needs just 60 tackles to break the NFL’s all-time record, there’s a good chance he could play next season. Wagner is healthy, having played all 17 games in each of the past two seasons for Washington. In fact, Wagner has missed a combined three games over the past 11 seasons.

Wagner, 35, rarely leaves the field, playing close to 100% of the Commanders‘ defensive snaps over the past two seasons. In Washington’s Week 18 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Wagner made history, joining Ray Lewis and London Fletcher as the only three players in NFL history to record 2,000 or more tackles, since it became an official statistic.

Wagner is a free agent in March. So, whether he decides to play in 2026 or not, it may not be with Washington. The Commanders fielded one of the NFL’s worst defenses in 2025 and are still looking for a defensive coordinator. General manager Adam Peters acknowledged in his season-ending press conference that the Commanders need to get younger and faster.

“I think you’re always trying to get younger and faster,” Peters said, “and I think that’ll be a big emphasis for us this offseason.”

“I think you’re always trying to get younger and faster, and I think that’ll be a big emphasis for us this offseason,” Peters said.

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He’s correct. And that begins in March when free agency opens. Wagner remains a useful player, but he shouldn’t be a three-down player at this stage, only because of his struggles in coverage. He remains strong against the run, is a phenomenal leader and is a capable blitzer. Unfortunately, teams targeted him in coverage far too often.

If Wagner plays in 2026, could it be with another franchise?

Pro Football Focus recently named the best landing spots for its 10 highest-graded defensive free agents for 2026. Wagner was one of those 10 players, with PFF naming the Buffalo Bills as the ideal landing spot.

Wagner is another high-performing veteran whose market is worth watching. Although Wagner, at nearly 36 years old, isn’t near the player in coverage he once was, he still excels as a run defender and a blitzer. This season, he stood as the only linebacker to produce 90.0-plus PFF grades in run defense (90.3), pass rushing (92.4) and tackling (90.5). 

The Bills struggled to fit the run in 2025, ranking 28th in rushing success rate (33.1%) allowed. Their linebacking corps was a contributing factor, as the group’s 27.3% negatively graded run-play rate ranked 30th. With Matt Milano‘s and Shaq Thompson’s contracts set to expire, finding a savvy veteran to overhaul the group would be wise. 

Wagner was terrific for Washington. His impact on the 2024 team should always be appreciated by Washington fans. He helped head coach Dan Quinn change the franchise’s culture and showed every player, young and old, how to prepare, whether it’s on a playoff team or a team battling to pick in the top five of the NFL draft.

But sometimes, it’s OK to say goodbye. The Commanders must do everything to improve in 2026, even if that means moving on from a future Hall of Famer and respected team leader.