Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

Scott Otto had just returned to his office Wednesday when he checked his phone to find he had a missed text message from Ricky Wagner.

"It's Detroit," read the text, and Otto knew exactly what his former star football player was talking about.

Wagner agreed to a free-agent deal with the Detroit Lions on Wednesday, making him the highest-paid pure right tackle in the NFL.

Players cannot officially sign contracts until the 2017 league year opens at 4 p.m. Thursday, but NFL Network reported Wagner's deal will eclipse $9 million per season.

• Live: NFL rumor mill​

Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles signed an extension last year worth $11.2 million annually, but that was in anticipation of his eventual move to left tackle. Other top right tackles, such as Bryan Bulaga of the Green Bay Packers and Mitchell Schwartz of the Kansas City Chiefs, average less than $7 million annually on their recently signed deals.

The Lions, looking to both upgrade their running game and better protect quarterback Matthew Stafford, targeted Wagner as a replacement for Riley Reiff on their young but emerging offensive line.

Wagner, a three-year starter with the Baltimore Ravens who doesn't turn 28 until October, was considered the top right tackle on the market, and the Wisconsin native found allure in returning to the Midwest and reuniting with Lions coach Jim Caldwell, his offensive coordinator his rookie season.

Detroit Lions agree to terms with LB Paul Worrilow

"Detroit fits in so many ways," said Otto, Wagner's coach at Hale High in West Allis, Wis. "It is close to home. I think they’re obviously a very good up-and-coming team, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He loves Caldwell. I know that. I believe Caldwell was his O.C. at Baltimore his first year, and so he said he always got along with Coach Caldwell and said, he goes, 'I have not met a nicer, better, human being than Coach Caldwell,' so I know he’s really very fired up about that. But if you know Ricky, I still think in his mind this is all surreal. He’s just a kid from West Allis, Wis., that is kind of living his dream."

Wagner was a top offensive-line target of a handful teams when the free-agent negotiating period opened Tuesday.

The Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers were among the teams that showed interest in Wagner, and Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh expressed confidence that his team would re-sign a player that Pro Football Focus graded as the league's best pass-protecting right tackle in 2014.

"We do have an edge," Harbaugh said of Wagner and his other top free agents. "They want to be Ravens. They love it in Baltimore, and they love what we’re doing as an organization and as a team, and they want to be a part of it. We’ve offered them -- we’re very competitive, I can tell you that, with what we’re offering, and we’re negotiating with them right now. We want them back. And Ricky definitely is a guy we want back."

In Detroit, Wagner is the newest addition to an offensive line that's undergone major changes since Bob Quinn took over as general manager last year.

The Lions took left tackle Taylor Decker in the first round of last spring's draft — Decker's arrival pushed Reiff, a three-year starter on the left side, to right tackle — and added two more linemen in the next four rounds who could play starting roles this fall.

Graham Glasgow started 11 games between left guard and center last year and projects as the team's left guard in 2017, and Joe Dahl should compete for time at right guard if pending free agent Larry Warford finds a new home as expected. Travis Swanson returns as the Lions' starting center, and Laken Tomlinson, a first-round pick in 2015, also will contend for playing time.

Backup tackle Corey Robinson also is under contract for 2017, though he's coming off a season-ending foot injury, and No. 4 tackle Cornelius Lucas is a restricted free agent.

Swanson, at 26 years old, is the oldest member of that group, and Quinn said last week it was important for the Lions to keep a veteran presence on their offensive line.

"You can’t have all rookies and second-year players on your offensive line," Quinn said. "I think that’s something that is a philosophy of mine. You can’t go too young."

The Lions, who ranked 30th in the NFL in rushing last year and tied for the 11th-most sacks allowed, made a big splash at the start of free agency for the second straight season and still have room for impact defensive addition if they so choose.

Last year, the Lions signed Marvin Jones to the top wide receiver contract given out in free agency (five years, $40 million). Jones had 55 catches for 930 yards and four touchdowns, but struggled after a hot start.

This year, the team still is in need of help on the defensive line, at cornerback, linebacker, wide receiver and tight end, but with Wagner in the fold seems to be set for now up front.

On Wednesday, after speaking with Otto, Wagner traded text messages and eventually talked with his old basketball coach from Hale, too.

Scott Pritzl, who also was a football assistant during Wagner's days at Hale, said the usually low-key Wagner was fired up about his next stop.

“I just sat in my office and, not that it had anything to do with me but I just came to tears because it was so cool to see a kid that you had coached and came from this little high school in this little old town and now he’s the highest-paid right tackle in the league," Pritzl said. "It’s really neat because the kid deserves everything he got. Things didn’t always come easy for him. It was really cool."

Lions sign defensive tackle Khyri Thornton to two-year deal

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

Download our Lions Xtra app for free on Apple and Android!

Meet Ricky Wagner

Position: Right tackle.

Vitals: 6-6, 310 pounts.

Age: 27.

From: West Allis, Wis.

College: Wisconsin.

Drafted: In 5th round of 2013 draft (No. 168 overall) by Ravens.

In the NFL: Wagner has started 47 of the Ravens’ 48 regular-season games over the past three seasons.