Wallace or Mendy & Sanders?

[NW Steeler]

Given the choice of keeping Wallace or Mendy and Sanders, is there really a question?

[hawaiiansteel]

well, that all depends on whether you're asking me or Mike Wallace's agent...

[Lebsteel]

With the MW that I saw yesterday, little effort, lackadaisical, etc...no question I want Mendy and Sanders...even with a "good" MW, I think I would still want Mendy and Sanders if they will re-sign for a reasonable salary. That remains to be seen, however.

[NW Steeler]

I almost wonder if we may have been better off if Wallace had held out for at least part of this year to see how the offense played without him.

[Iron Shiek]

He's definitely a threat and commands defensive attention (aka decoy...like many called him). I think some of those holes for mendy or the middle of the field for sanders aren't as open without him. But I feel his effort slightly lacked...if he continues this type of performance, there's no way they keep him.

[Steelhere10]

I'm sorry but all this negative about the 2nd most productive player over the last two years not named Ben , is crazy too me. Maybe the tittle should be Wallace or every over paid player on defense including Troy, Timmons , Woodley Hampton and the list goes on too the offense. Or maybe the Rooneys should just pay the man. They have had a bargain for three years for Wallace why would he not want more ?

[Steelhere10]

And yes I said Troy, who haven't been the same player since the Achilles against the Bengals.

[Oviedo]

Mendy and Sanders no questions asked. I saw Brown beat Asomugha deep yesterday (couldn't hang on) so no one can convince me we won't have a deep threat is Wallace leaves.

Save some of the money from not signing Wallace to sign a replacement Free Agent Strong Safety because Troy is pretty much done. I unfortunately think he is near assuming the Duce Staley role on the team in sweats.

[NW Steeler]

I'm sorry but all this negative about the 2nd most productive player over the last two years not named Ben , is crazy too me. Maybe the tittle should be Wallace or every over paid player on defense including Troy, Timmons , Woodley Hampton and the list goes on too the offense. Or maybe the Rooneys should just pay the man. They have had a bargain for three years for Wallace why would he not want more ?

My post wasn't a bash on Wallace, it is a question of where we put our money, because if we re-sign Wallace, we wont be able to re-sign Mendy and probably not Wallace either. Wallace has been a great deep threat, no doubt. But I cant remember another Steelers WR that hit the turf as easy and often as he does. As far as Troy, Timmons and Woodley, they are all under contract, so they really aren't relative in this conversation.

I guess I just did bash Wallace, so I take that back!

[Eddie Spaghetti]

I can save us 5 million or so right now.

cut the human penalty masquerading as an nfl LG.

that probably keeps mendenhall and sanders right there.

[Oviedo]

I can save us 5 million or so right now.

cut the human penalty masquerading as an nfl LG.

that probably keeps mendenhall and sanders right there.

Colon has about 12 more games to prove he can play Guard or he should hit the road in the off season and we can draft another rookie to play Guard.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

FWIW we are asking this question one day after Wallace had an unusually terrible game and we are on the high from a more productive than usual Mendenhall.

[hawaiiansteel]

after playing all of one game Mendenhall is now our leading rusher for the season...

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Colon has about 12 more games to prove he can play Guard or he should hit the road in the off season and we can draft another rookie to play Guard.

fine by me.

colon was a bum at RT, not sure why anyone thought it would be different at G.

[SidSmythe]

How about we use Colon's money to sign the next Will Wolford.
Then use Mike Wallace's money to resign Mendenhall (who is only 24) and Sanders. Draft a speed guy!!

[SDSteel1]

FWIW we are asking this question one day after Wallace had an unusually terrible game and we are on the high from a more productive than usual Mendenhall.

The reason why Mendehall hasn't been productive is because he's been injured. When he plays, yesterday was a normal performance.

[Shoe]

Mendy and Sanders no questions asked. I saw Brown beat Asomugha deep yesterday (couldn't hang on) so no one can convince me we won't have a deep threat is Wallace leaves.

Save some of the money from not signing Wallace to sign a replacement Free Agent Strong Safety because Troy is pretty much done. I unfortunately think he is near assuming the Duce Staley role on the team in sweats.

RB & 3rd WRs are a dime a dozen. Determining fair market value is key here. If we could sign Wallace for borderline #1/2 WR that he is, and sign Mendenhall for "good RB" value along with Sanders for "good 3rd WR" value--I'd take Wallace EASILY. Deep WRs don't grow on trees.

But I doubt we could get Wallace at that price.

[Sugar]

Fortunately, that's not the place we're in so I don't worry about it. The season will tell the tale and we're only less than half way through.

[fezziwig]

Just for the money alone, let Wallace go. If letting Wallace go means we get to keep Sanders and Mendy then even easier to make the call. I like Sanders and I think with him and Brown along with Cotchery that, will be more than enough. If I'm not mistaken I believe we have a couple of young receivers that seem, they could add very well to this team. Ahhh, Mendy is who I thought he was. I don't know how so many were against Mendenhall these past years when you knew he had no offensive line. I knew the guy was good and he proved it again. I would like to keep Mendenhall but I still wouldn't break the bank for him. IMHO runningbacks just don't rate the big dollars as they used to be. Still important to have a guy like Mendy but, I doubt any team is stupid enough to out bid the Steelers for Mendy and I hope Mendy realizes he will have a better career here at the burgh.

[ikestops85]

While I love MW on our team I don't know how he can continue to compare himself to the elite receivers in the league after Sunday's game. I can't picture Fitz not catching all of those throws he let hit the ground. Granted they weren't easy catches but if you want to be elite you have to pull those in.

P.S. Sad to see AB do his best Nate Washington impression. :stirpot

[steelblood]

after playing all of one game Mendenhall is now our leading rusher for the season...

Technically, this is incorrect (Redman has 113 yards for the season), but your point is valid.

[Oviedo]

RB & 3rd WRs are a dime a dozen. Determining fair market value is key here. If we could sign Wallace for borderline #1/2 WR that he is, and sign Mendenhall for "good RB" value along with Sanders for "good 3rd WR" value--I'd take Wallace EASILY. Deep WRs don't grow on trees.

But I doubt we could get Wallace at that price.

Seeing the success of Haley's ofense and the potential, do we really need to pay a premium price for a "deep WR?" That is the real determining factor and I think the evidence is probably not.

The real issue does Wallace want to be a Steeler or not? I'm going with the not! The decision is all his.

[fezziwig]

Seeing the success of Haley's ofense and the potential, do we really need to pay a premium price for a "deep WR?" That is the real determining factor and I think the evidence is probably not.

The real issue does Wallace want to be a Steeler or not? I'm going with the not! The decision is all his.


I think he wants to be a Steeler but for big dollars and that is where his Steeler love ends. For the right amount of money he will want to be someother teams wide receiver. I don't fault him but I am the type ofperson that money isn't everything. I don't think I could spend the kind of money some of these players get in a life time.

[eniparadoxgma]

As much as I love what Wallace can do for our offense, if I had to choose between the two (him or Mendy and Sanders) it's Mendy and Sanders all the way. I think the gap in talent and performance between Wallace and our other receivers is much smaller than the gap between Mendy and our other RBs, (as much as I like Redman as a change up back he's no #1).

[RuthlessBurgher]

Call me crazy, but I'll take Wallace over Mendenhall and Sanders and wouldn't think twice about it. In most 2 for 1 swaps, the one that ends up with the best overall player tends to win that trade.

When you compare Mendenhall's performance to that of Redman and Dwyer, sure...he looks good. But he wasn't able to even get 1000 yards last season despite starting 15 games. That type of production is average at best for an NFL RB. Mendenhall was a day one draft pick...could we get another solid, but not spectacular RB on day two of the draft? Of course, we could.

Sanders has 63 catches for 807 yards and 4 TD's in his entire 28 game NFL career. His best season was his rookie year, when he had 28 catches for 376 yards and 2 TD's in 13 games. Wow. Sanders was a day two draft pick...could we get another #3 wideout who catches 20-something balls for 300-something yards per year on day three of the draft? Of course, we could.

Which one of these three guys is most difficult to replace? The one who has the unique talent that cannot be found multiple times over in every single draft. Talent is worth paying for. Mike Wallace has way outperformed his draft status and rookie contract several times over...you can't even come close to saying the same thing about either Mendenhall or Sanders (and that's without even bringing Mendenhall's recent ACL injury and Sanders' multiple foot injuries into the equation). Mike Wallaces do not grow on trees...Mendenhalls and Sanders do.

[hawaiiansteel]

Call me crazy, but I'll take Wallace over Mendenhall and Sanders and wouldn't think twice about it.

in theory, I agree with you.

however, in reality you now have to either be willing to meet Wallace's contactual demand of $11.5 million/year or be willing to franchise him for the next two years which I personally would not want to do.

[eniparadoxgma]

Mike Wallaces do not grow on trees...Mendenhalls and Sanders do.

I find that hard to believe. Humans growing on trees sounds more like a plot from a sci-fi novel than something out of reality and I challenge you to present any evidence to support your theory. Because of this obvious twisting of the truth I'm just going to have to go ahead and throw out the rest of your argument. :)

Seriously though, I agree that Wallace seems to be a more unique talent. However, I think right now Mendy + Sanders help the team more than Wallace alone.

[flippy]

Can I have all 3? I'd like to see this play out first.

I think Haley designed the offense for Mendy. Even after missing 3 games, I wouldn't be surprised if he has his best season under Haley. Time will tell. It's just a suspicion, but I'll wait and see.

I'm gonna wait and see on Sanders too. I'd like to see him get pressed a little more and have to fight some big DBs. He's a work in progress.

Right now, I think Wally's better than the 2 of them by a long shot. But in time, that could change. I'm really big on Sanders' potential and Mendy in this offense.