Seattle Seahawks: Predicting team leaders in statistics for 2019
By Samuel Teets
Tackles
Even though K.J. Wright is returning, Bobby Wagner is still the obvious selection here. The future Hall of Fame middle linebacker is an absolute tackling machine. He’s averaging 140 combined tackles per year, according to Pro Football Reference, but NFL.com has him more around 130.
Either way, that’s a ridiculous rate that is impressive no matter which way you look at it. The only threat to Wagner’s consistent production is injuries. He has only missed one game in the last three seasons, but he was banged up during several starts in 2018 and he has missed nine games throughout his career.
Wright averaged 100 tackles per year through his first seven seasons before suffering from an injury-plagued 2018 campaign when he recorded just 23 combined tackles. Even if he returned to prime form in 2019, he won’t be a threat to Wagner’s tackle total unless the middle linebacker misses substantial time with an injury.
Outside of Wagner and Wright, the team’s highest potential leading tackler is safety Bradley McDougald. McDougald recorded 78 combined tackles with Seattle last season and his career high is 91, which came in Tampa Bay back in 2016.
It’s pretty safe to say, save for injuries, Wagner will put up another 130-140 tackle season and make another All-Pro team. If anything, Wagner should be motivated to have his best season yet. The middle linebacker is in the final season of his current deal and is an extension isn’t completed, he’ll test the open market in 2020. Every tackle could literally be worth money.