Wallace officially a no-show; Steelers suspend negotiations

[hawaiiansteel]

Wallace a no-show; Steelers suspend negotiations

July 25, 2012
By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Mike Wallace, reaching for a catch in a game last season against Seattle.

Mike Wallace took another stand when he did not report to training camp on time, and now apparently the Steelers will take one of their own as the contract impasse between the two sides takes a new turn.

The Steelers will suspend negotiations on a multiple-year contract until Wallace signs his one-year tender and reports to the team, a club source said. As a restricted free agent, Wallace was offered a one-year contract worth $2.472 million last March but he remains the only RFA in the NFL who has not signed.

Wallace, who made the Pro Bowl in his third season last year, cannot practice until he is under contract, either by signing the one-year tender or by signing another contract offered by the team that has now been basically rescinded.

The stance of ending negotiations for a holdout has been taken by the team before, most recently when Hines Ward held out for the first two weeks of the 2005 training camp. However, Ward had one year left on his contract at the time and was pressing for a new one. After ending his holdout, negotiations resumed and he received a four-year extension three weeks later.

Steelers president Art Rooney II declined comment on the situation Wednesday during a press conference to formally announce the signing of first-round draft choice David DeCastro. In June, Rooney told the Post-Gazette, regarding Wallace's absence from all spring activities, "He should be here."

[URL]http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/wallace-a-no-show-steelers-suspend-negotiations-646152/#ixzz21eyCjtyH[/URL]

[Shawn]

I suspect this won't end well. By history, Wallace knew if he didn't show the Steelers would stop talking. Therefore, I must assume he is more than posturing.

[phillyesq]

Perhaps this is cockeyed optimism, but I have a feeling that a Wallace deal gets worked out in the next week or two, or that, at a very minimum, he reports to camp.

[Oviedo]

If he doesn't report they should be done talking. When he is on the field then he earns the right to negotiate.

[Slapstick]

If he doesn't report they should be done talking. When he is on the field then he earns the right to negotiate.

The Steelers won't negotiate until he reports...

In the meantime, Emmanuel Sanders will take over the X (Split End) for Wallace...

[Oviedo]

The Steelers won't negotiate until he reports...

In the meantime, Emmanuel Sanders will take over the X (Split End) for Wallace...

I am looking forward to Brown and Sanders having great seasons.

[hawaiiansteel]

Mike Wallace and his agent have now painted themselves into a corner and the only way out of the corner is for Wallace to sign his RFA tender and report to camp so negotiations will resume once again.

the Steelers will not waver in their stance, history has proven that.

[flippy]

Can the Steelers reduce the tender now?

[ikestops85]

Can the Steelers reduce the tender now?

No, I don't believe they can. There was only a short window for them to be able to do that.

[Chadman]

Settle down...give it a couple of days for the nuts & bolts to be ironed out & he'll be there. Maybe not even that long. Wes Saunders just about let the cat out of the bag- the deal looks to be just about in place.