Making the case for Wagner as top defensive rookie

Dec 31, 2012, 3:55 PM | Updated: 3:59 pm

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By Brady Henderson

Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner made 10 tackles Sunday to finish the regular season with 140, breaking the previous franchise record for a rookie.

Bobby Wagner

Along with Wagner, fellow linebackers Luke Kuechly of Carolina and Lavonte David of Tampa Bay are the three most logical candidates for the league’s defensive rookie of the year award.

A strong case could be made for each.

Wagner’s 140 tackles rank seventh in the NFL. David had 139 to rank eighth. Kuechly led the league with 164. Wagner and David each had two sacks to Kuechly’s one. Wagner led that trio with three interceptions.

Of those three rookies, only Wagner is preparing for a playoff game next weekend. So it’s no surprise to hear him say individual awards aren’t the biggest thing on his mind.

“It’s great, just being recognized as one of the top defenders …. ,” he told “Bob and Groz” on Monday. “But I don’t really pay attention to that stuff, because what’s going to happen is what’s going to happen.”

The NFL typically announces individual awards in February. In the meantime, Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby make their case for Wagner in the video below.

You can listen to Monday’s podcast here.

Bob, Groz and Tom

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