Commanders’ $36 Million Linebacker Sidelined With Ankle Injury

The Washington Commanders invested heavily in free agency in the 2024 offseason — including a major investment at inside linebacker with free-agent additions Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu.

If the franchise wants to return to any sort of respectability in 2024, they’ll need both of them healthy. That process includes taking measures to make sure minor injuries don’t turn into nagging injuries.

The Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala posted on X that the Commanders kept Luvu out of minicamp practice on June 12 due to an injury. The Commanders signed Luvu to a 3-year, $36 million contract in March 2024.

“LB Frankie Luvu is inside during the Commanders’ minicamp practice today because of a very minor ankle injury, per source,” Jhabvala wrote. “The team is not concerned; this is primarily precautionary.”

Jhabvala also reported that tight end Zach Ertz and wide receiver Jamison Crowder were also sitting out of minicamp practice.

Luvu’s Persistence, Talent Led to Big Payday

Luvu made the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent out of Washington State in 2018. Luvu spent three seasons with the Jets and one season with the Carolina Panthers as a reserve/special teams player before getting a chance to be a full-time starter for the first time in his career in 2022.

Luvu passed the 100-tackle mark each of the last two seasons and was one of the few bright spots for the Panthers in 2023 when he started all 17 games and led the team with 125 tackles to go with 5 pass deflections and 2 forced fumbles.

“(Luvu) is fun to watch,” former Carolina teammate Luke Kuechly told The Athletic’s Joseph Person. “He’s around the ball. When you watch the game, it’s like, ‘Oh, there’s Frankie.’ He just pops up and pops up and pops up. Guys that just pop up are football players.”

Wagner, Luvu Could Be Elite Duo of ILBs

ESPN‘s, power rankings on May 13 listed the most improved area for all 32 NFL teams. For the Commanders that was linebacker because of the additions of Wagner and Luvu.

Washington moved up two spots to No. 27 — up from the No. 29 spot in ESPN’s post-free agency rankings

“… They improved their linebacking play considerably by adding Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote. “Wagner might not be a Pro Bowl, three-down linebacker anymore, but he led the NFL in tackles (183) last season while Luvu’s pass-rush ability — 12 combined sacks the past two years and 29 tackles for loss — will provide a boost.”

Wagner signed a 1-year, $8.5 million contract in March 2024. He’s also a likely future Pro Football Hall of Famer and perhaps one of the most underrated players in NFL history.

Playing for the Seattle Seahawks in 2023, Wagner led the NFL with 183 tackles in his 12th NFL season. Wagner is a 10-time NFL All-Pro and 9-time Pro Bowler and it was his third time leading the NFL in tackles.

In 12 seasons, Wagner has never had less than 100 tackles in a single season — he had a career-low 104 tackles in 2014 when he played in a career-low 11 games — and won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2013.