The Washington Commanders' offense will look to pile on more misery onto a wide-open Dallas Cowboys defense in Week 2. If this scenario comes to fruition, it could push Jerry Jones ever closer to making a bold swoop for veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner.
Of course, Wagner spent the last two seasons in Washington. He helped wth the eye-catching culture shift under head coach Dan Quinn, earning second-team All-Pro honors as the Commanders came within one game of the Super Bowl.
He was steady enough last season, but Wagner was a liability in isolation. The Commanders didn't bring him back, and nobody else came calling throughout the offseason.
Commanders offense could improve Bobby Wagner's chances of Cowboys move
While it's surprising to still see Wagner looking for another opportunity, especially given his known desire to keep playing, the Cowboys are rumored to be keeping tabs on the future Pro Football Hall of Famer without making a move as yet.
And if their linebacking unit struggles again versus Washington, that might be enough to finally take the plunge.
One of the most glaring flaws at Dallas' second level is communication. They don't have a true MIKE linebacker, with DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters better suited to the WILL role. They might be content with what they have, but if things don't improve, Wagner would instantly upgrade this area.
Wagner's athletic traits are waning; there's no getting away from that. However, he remains a supreme leadership presence who can take on green dot responsibilities on defense, ensuring everyone is in the right spot pre-snap.
For a defense that looked completely disorganized on Sunday Night Football against the New York Giants, that would be huge.
Bobby Wagner is no longer needed by the Commanders, but he would be an upgrade in Dallas
The Commanders didn't completely close the door on Wagner. However, his return is highly unlikely, even with Frankie Luvu dealing with a groin problem and Jordan Magee being placed on injured reserve.
Dallas is much more desperate. And if the Cowboys get demolished by David Blough's offense after losing to the Giants, Wagner may not even be all that keen to join the franchise.
Nobody will be thinking about Wagner, at least not right now.
The Commanders have moved on. The Cowboys haven't made a move yet amid the rumors. The player is still taking stock of what comes next. Perhaps he is seeking a contender, though that might mean a much longer wait to see if injury strikes elsewhere.
Washington has the talent to beat Dallas' defense. If the fourth-quarter surge against the Philadelphia Eagles can be sustained over the remaining 16 games, this will be a difficult unit to overcome. And even though the Cowboys will no doubt improve defensively, the bar isn't exactly high to achieve that objective.
Wagner will be watching and waiting. And he'll be rooting for the Commanders to succeed.
Because who knows where that might lead for him.
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