Sources: Offers for Steelers' Wallace not likely

[RuthlessBurgher]

Interesting note in there about the leverage we have against Wallace sitting out camp if we are unable to get a deal worked out. If he chooses not to sign the $2.7 million tender by mid-June, we can screw him over and retain his rights for just $434,500 instead (his rookie contract was a 3 year deal for $1.74 million with a $555,000 signing bonus, meaning his yearly salary was $395,000 for each of his 3 years in the league so far...110% of that salary would be $434,500).

Sources: Mike Wallace likely to stay
Updated: April 19, 2012, 10:05 AM ET
ESPN.com news services

With Steelers restricted free-agent wide receiver Mike Wallace facing a Friday deadline to sign an offer sheet with another team, it now is expected that he will return to Pittsburgh for the 2012 season, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

No team has made a significant run yet at Wallace, and it is not expected that one will, sources told Schefter.

Last month, sources told ESPN.com's John Clayton that the Steelers had made a one-year offer to Wallace worth a first-round tender -- meaning any team signing Wallace to an offer sheet would have to part with a first-round pick.

If Wallace does not sign his tender -- worth a reported $2.7 million -- by June 15, the Steelers can reduce it to 110 percent of last year's salary and still retain his rights.

Steelers team president Art Rooney II has said the team wants to sign Wallace to a multiyear contract.

Last month, The Sacramento Bee reported that the San Francisco 49ers inquired about Wallace during the first week of free agency, but did not pursue him because he was seeking a contract in excess of the eight-year, $120 million contract Larry Fitzgerald signed with the Arizona Cardinals.

Wallace caught 72 passes for 1,193 yards and eight passing touchdowns last season, all team highs. In three seasons, he has 171 catches for 3,206 yards and 24 TDs.

Information from ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter and ESPN.com AFC North writer Jamison Hensley was used in this report

[URL]http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7831785/offers-mike-wallace-pittsburgh-steelers-not-expected-sources-say[/URL]

[Dee Dub]

No surprise. For some Steeler fans they couldn't accept this but had they been paying attention and not thinking with their heart, they would have known this all along. Just like with the O-line. Some seem to think the Steelers have to draft 4 to 5 O-lineman this year. Yet the Steelers have committed and made it known publicly to at least 4 of their O-line spots next season.

We need the emoticon where someone is getting ht in the head with a brick.

[RuthlessBurgher]

No surprise. For some Steeler fans they couldn't accept this but had they been paying attention and not thinking with their heart, they would have known this all along. Just like with the O-line. Some seem to think the Steelers have to draft 4 to 5 O-lineman this year. Yet the Steelers have committed and made it known publicly to at least 4 of their O-line spots next season.

We need the emoticon where someone is getting ht in the head with a brick.

This doesn't count?

[phillyesq]

The ability to reduce the tender to 110% of last year's salary takes away a lot of the hold out leverage. If he were to hold out through week 10 or whatever, he would end up with just a few hundred grand for this season.

[steelz09]

The good news:

If Wallace wants to play hard ball this year *and* possibly next year, the Steelers have all the leverage.

The bad news:

I would have thought the Steelers and Wallace would have come to an agreement by now or at least some type of positive news that talks are moving forward. We should prepare ourselves for Steleers football without Mike Wallace going forward.

[Oviedo]

Wallace can take his "hard ball" and ego right out the door.

[Sugar]

Nothing wrong with a little hardball in the spring/summer. Both sides will try to get what they want and hopefully have an agreement before the pre-season.

[Dee Dub]

This doesn't count?

No because this is the individual doing the hitting. These that I refer too need it done to them. This guy here (hitting his head on the wall), actually gets it.

[steelz09]

So no team wants to pay a "one trick poney" 120-mil and a 1st round pick?

I'm shocked.

[aggiebones]

So a guy wants to be paid over 100M to play football? I'm surprised.

We'll find a middle road or he'll be gone. Not that hard. We have all the leverage...except he doesn't 'have' to play. Or he can come late and leave early, claim injured and get through this year.

It really benefits neither to not get a deal done. Both sides will give considerably. He won't get a free agent deal...because he's not a FA. Not will the Steelers get him for cheap.
One trick pony has alot of stats by his name. You can pretend to replace them, but without him, EVERYONE gets worse.