Steelers WR Mike Wallace deserves Larry Fitzgerald money

[hawaiiansteel]

ESPN’s Clayton Says Steelers Are ‘Confident’ About Wallace Deal

Jul 14th, 2012 by CraigSteelers

Above is a link to a short segment with ESPN’s John Clayton talking about the last restricted free agent in the NFL without a deal – Mike Wallace.In the clip, Clayton says ‘no deal’ as of yet (duh) but that the Steelers organization is optimistic about signing a deal with Wallace before camp starts. He notes the Steelers are good at ‘taking care of’ their top players such as Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu. The Steelers are confident that there won’t be a holdout either.

Taking care of their top players. Very true Mr. Clayton. But, I am hard pressed to put Mike Wallace in the same breath as Big Ben and the Tazmanian Devil. Wallace is a very good young player. But, he has yet to fully prove himself as a high impact and ‘can’t do without’ player such as Ben and Troy. That’s why a deal hasn’t been signed yet in the first place. Wallace wants money equivalent to the top paid receivers in the league. That would be like taking Andy Dalton and signing him to the same kind of money Big Ben has. Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals is a very good young quarterback. But is he elite? Can the Bengals not win without him?

And, while most of us chuckle and think, ‘It’s tough for the Bengals to win with anyone’ I think the Bengals can win without a guy like Dalton. So if he were to have the same kind of numbers this season and next as he had last season, then stand on his box and ask for a $100 million contract, he would be laughed at. Much like how Wallace can’t be taken seriously right now demanding for a paycheck as big as Larry Fitzgerald’s. No way. No how. Not when you essentially disappear halfway into the season.

The only way the two sides come to an agreement is if Wallace sucks it up and signs what the Steelers are willing to pay him – my guess is six years with $8 million/year on a sliding scale getting him up to $11 million in his last season of his contract that is chalk full of incentives to keep him producing. Will he sign something like that? Right now, the way this situation has been silent, I would say no. But, the Steelers Omar Khan has a way of getting contracts done.

We don’t have much time before camp starts. Will a contract get done in time. Right now the scale is tipping in favor of a ‘no.’

[URL]http://nicepickcowher.com/2012/07/14/espns-clayton-says-steelers-are-confident-about-wallace-deal/[/URL]

[Oviedo]

The only way the two sides come to an agreement is if Wallace sucks it up and signs what the Steelers are willing to pay him

As it should be!!!!!!! Its about the whole team not an individual.

[feltdizz]

As it should be!!!!!!! Its about the whole team not an individual.

for the Steelers and fans it's about the whole team...

for Wallace, it's about the individual.... as it should be.

[Oviedo]

for the Steelers and fans it's about the whole team...

for Wallace, it's about the individual.... as it should be.

Not if he wants to stay a member of the Steelers, because the system is designed for the team to win and the individual to lose.

[Shawn]

I still don't understand why anyone would fault Wallace for wanting to get prime value for his play. As big of a Steeler fan as I am I wouldn't take 3 million per year less to play for them. I just wouldn't. And I suspect that is what the Steelers are trying to pull with Wallace. There are certainly teams willing to pay Wallace 10 million per season. The Steelers will be in the 7 million per season range.

[Oviedo]

I still don't understand why anyone would fault Wallace for wanting to get prime value for his play. As big of a Steeler fan as I am I wouldn't take 3 million per year less to play for them. I just wouldn't. And I suspect that is what the Steelers are trying to pull with Wallace. There are certainly teams willing to pay Wallace 10 million per season. The Steelers will be in the 7 million per season range.

I don't fault Wallace for wanting what he wants, but I am just not one who supports the team giving it to him. Primarily because I do not think he is our best WR and unless a WR is Larry Fitzgerald-good they don't deserve anywhere near $10M and even then I would question how wise an investment that is.

I agree with the $7M range but if Wallace will balk at that just move on and focus on those players who you can make happy.

[Shawn]

Now that I will agree with O. He should want it...the Steelers shouldn't want to give it. I wouldn't give him more than 7 million per. If he didn't want to sign for that then play for 2.4 this season and go elsewhere. That would be my stance.

[flippy]

I don't fault Wallace for wanting what he wants, but I am just not one who supports the team giving it to him. Primarily because I do not think he is our best WR and unless a WR is Larry Fitzgerald-good they don't deserve anywhere near $10M and even then I would question how wise an investment that is.

I agree with the $7M range but if Wallace will balk at that just move on and focus on those players who you can make happy.

I say pay your QB, your pass rushers, your CBs, and your tackles. Then allocate money to special players. Use less money on everyone else.

WRs are a dime a dozen.

Larry Fitgerald and Megatron aren't bringing their teams championships.

[Shawn]

I would agree with that Flippy. I watched Brady dissect D's for several years with questionable talent at WR.

[flippy]

I would agree with that Flippy. I watched Brady dissect D's for several years with questionable talent at WR.

I've seen Ben do it. I've seen Elway do it. I've seen Marino do it.

Great QBs can make do with just about any WR.

At the end of the day, a WR is not going to be the difference between winning and losing a SuperBowl. Granted, you may need a WR to make a play, but they just don't make an impact on the outcome of games like other key positions.

[Oviedo]

Now that I will agree with O. He should want it...the Steelers shouldn't want to give it. I wouldn't give him more than 7 million per. If he didn't want to sign for that then play for 2.4 this season and go elsewhere. That would be my stance.

Your stance, my stance and most importantly close to the stance of the Steelers FO.

Flippy hit the nail on the head. There are positions you pay premium dollars to and WR IS NOT one of them. For WRs it is about the group not the individuals. A good group of WRs can trump an outstanding WR in terms of performance and value to the team.

My position is simple with Wallace---$7M on average per year and sweeten it with a little above the average in guaranteed money. However, if he is a no show on July 25th, move on without him and break off all contract negotiations. Trade him at the first opportunity.

[D Rock]

I say pay your QB, your pass rushers, your CBs, and your tackles. Then allocate money to special players. Use less money on everyone else.

WRs are a dime a dozen.

Larry Fitgerald and Megatron aren't bringing their teams championships.

They may not have won championships, but Larry Fitzgerald did carry the Cardinals to the Super Bowl with the greatest post-season a WR has ever had and Megatron has been a key piece in making the Lions relevant again.

[aggiebones]

Didn't Ward hold out for a few days while getting a deal done. I'm not gonna worry about it too much. Frankly, if you are gonna pay him alot of money, shield him from early traffic in camp. But his arse better be in shape.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Report: Steelers still optimistic about signing Wallace long-term
Posted by Josh Alper on July 17, 2012, 6:29 PM EDT

Monday’s deadline for signing players with a franchise tag to a long-term contract doesn’t apply to players with restricted free agent tenders, so there’s nothing stopping the Steelers from signing wide receiver Mike Wallace.

Nothing except their inability to agree to terms with Wallace, that is. We heard earlier this month that there’s been little progress or negotiation toward a new deal, but the Steelers don’t seem to have given up hope. John Clayton of ESPN reports that people inside the organization have told him that they remain optimistic about getting a deal done in the next couple of weeks.

“So even though nothing is close at the moment, there is still time before the start of camp and people in the Steelers organization are confident they can get something done, that there will be no holdout, and Wallace will be signed to a long-term deal,” Clayton said.

If a deal does get done now, it will be on the Steelers’ terms. Wallace can hold out or he can sign the tender, but there’s no risk of losing him and, therefore, no reason for the Steelers to budge much from their preferred deal.

Avoiding a holdout would be good in terms of Wallace learning the offense being installed by new coordinator Todd Haley, but there’s not actually any deadline looming. The two sides can work out a deal through Week 10 without Wallace signing his $2.77 million tender or at any point in the year if he does sign the tender.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/17/report-steelers-still-optimistic-about-signing-wallace-long-term/[/URL]

[squidkid]

I don't understand the "would he be as good with another QB" line...

Would Brady be successful if he was on the Browns? Would Ben or Eli be elite if they were drafted by the Bucs and Miami.

A WR who is fortunate to have an elite QB has a chance to make money if he produces...why should Wallace negotiate based on the other 50 WR's who aren't in his position?

he should try but the steelers should realize he can easily be replaced by those other 50 guys for far less.