Two more Seahawks, linebacker Bobby Wagner and safety Kam Chancellor, were unveiled on the NFL Network's Top 100 Players of 2017 list Monday, with Chancellor checking in at No. 34 on the list and Wagner at No. 39.
Those two join receiver Doug Baldwin and defensive ends Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett on the list, giving the Seahawks five players and counting in this year's Top 100.
Wagner, who is back on the list for the second time in three years having missed out last season, is coming off one of the more impressive defensive seasons in Seahawks history. Wagner's 167 tackles in 2016 not only led the NFL, that was also a franchise-record total, and he added 4.5 sacks.
"Bobby is one of the best players in the NFL," Bennett said late last season. "He's one of the top five players in the NFL."
Wagner, a second-round pick in 2012, was named to the Pro Bowl for the third straight year, and has been first-team All-Pro two of the last three seasons, earning second-team honors in 2015.
"He has had great games one after another after another after another all season long," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after Wagner broke the franchise tackle record. "Nobody has played better football anywhere that I have seen in this league. He has just been such a stellar part of what we're doing, and he put the numbers up week in and week out, and he has been a great leader for us."
Chancellor, who is heading into his eighth season with the Seahawks, cracked the Top 100 list for the fourth straight season. A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro, Chancellor has been one of Seattle's leaders and best defensive players ever since taking over the starting strong safety role in 2011. In 12 games last season, Chancellor had 85 tackles and two interceptions, and his eight passes defensed were his highest total since 2011. Chancellor also earned NFC Player of the Week honors for his standout performance in Seattle's Week 10 victory at New England.
"First off, there's his physical nature on the football field, his physical presence," Baldwin said last season. "He kind of brings a swagger to the defense, and to the whole team really. There aren't many people who can go up against Kam and win that battle, so he kind of brings the hammer for the whole team. Then obviously his leadership in the locker room, he's just one of those guys who is down to earth. He can talk to anybody, have a conversation with anybody, cares genuinely about everybody, and he brings everybody together."
Chancellor was also named the team's Steve Largent Award winner last season, his second time winning that award, which is voted on by players and given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit, dedication and integrity of the Seahawks, in the past three years. Chancellor is just the second Seahawk, along with fullback Mack Strong, who won it five times, to win the Largent Award multiple times.
