Quote Originally Posted by pittpete View Post
Why are people that don't feel Wallace is the teams biggest priority labeled "Anti Wallace?"
Sh-t, I loved Yancey Thigpen and we some how survived.
I also thought Plax was a great asset to the Steelers but we managed.
Calling people delusional because we think we can make it w/o Wallace is just delusional
To be honest Pete, don't think the issue is about if Wallace is the #1 priority or not, but more the venom directed his way- as if 2012's failures lays fairly & squarley on the shoulders of Mike Wallace..

(before you all jump up & down saying that's not what you think- that was a gross generalisation).

Will the Steelers survive losing Wallace? Yes.
Will they be as good without Wallace in 2013? Probably not.
Is he the worst human being on Earth & deserve his career to be cut short because he didn't sign with the Steelers? It could be argued that some feel that way.


Chadman still is waiting for someone to address what he thinks is the bigger issue. The Steelers dumped a whole boatload of money on Antonio Brown as a result of not getting Wallace signed, a year before he became a RFA.

think about that- RFA. that means, in this FA period coming up, they could have retained Brown's playing rights using the TOP tender & only pay him just above $2m.

Instead, he'll cost $6.2 million this season (prior to the now necessary restructure- which will increase his cost next year, and the year after that).

It's not like the FO didn't KNOW how they'd be against the Salary Cap in 2013. Heck- we knew this last season.

So, in what can easily be argued was a direct reaction (over reaction) to Mike Wallace rejecting the Steelers offer, the Steelers invested heavily in a guy with 1 year's success under his belt, at the cost of how many Vets this season who will be cut because the Steelers can't fit under the cap?

It was a BAD business decision.

It's not Wallace's fault. It's not Brown's fault.

The FO screwed up. And Chadman believes it was simply because they had their nose out of joint at not being able to secure Mike Wallace on what the Steelers thought was a good deal.

All good that they secured Brown long term. He could very well be a good WR in the future. 2012 doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in that- although that appears to get overlooked, possibly because he did what many fans think ALL players should do- agree to what the Steelers offer.

But when the Steelers have to draft a rookie WR to replace Wallace, a rookie RB to replace Mendenhall, a rookie OLB to replace Harrison, a rookie ILB to replace Foote, or any other rookie to replace a Vet cut or not re-signed this season because the Steelers can't afford them- just consider how far that $4 difference between $2 RFA tenders & $6.2m contract's to WR's would have gone to not forcing a complete rebuild this season.