It's Manny Sanders Time!!!!!

[flippy]

Wally doesn't show, so I guess it's time for the next guy up.

Let's get this young man prepared for SuperBowl #7.

Maybe this accelerates Rainey or Maze in the slot and we end up better off in the end.

[Oviedo]

Sanders and Brown benefit from no Wallace. I hope they both have great seasons.

[Shawn]

I have little faith Sanders can remain healthy for an entire season. It should be more like Brown and Cotch.

[flippy]

I have little faith Sanders can remain healthy for an entire season. It should be more like Brown and Cotch.

I figure it had more to do with not being able to recover and train with team doctors last offseason than a lingering issue. Guess we'll see.

[hawaiiansteel]

Ed: Steelers Likely to Suspend Talks with Wallace

WEDNESDAY, 25 JULY 2012 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE


The Steelers believe Mike Wallace will not report today for training camp and will resume a holdout that occurred all spring over contract negotiations.

With that stance by Wallace, the Steelers are likely to suspend negotiations on a multiple-year contract for their Pro Bowl wide receiver.

Next move, then, is up to Wallace apparently. He can either sign his one-year, $2.472 million offer on the table and report to training camp or, stay away.

I talked to both Max Starks and Emmanuel Sanders, two players having to learn the new offense, and I asked them if missing camp will hurt Wallace.

Starks: "I think in general, all of us, every player should want to be in training camp. I mean, this is a new offense and there are a lot of little nuances, even though some things will be consistent as far as our coaching staff.

"But as far as philosophy and what coach Haley wants to run, I think its important to get in here at this pace when it’s a little bit slower and get adjusted to it, get adjusted to the terminology – that’s usually the biggest thing that usually hurts people is coming in to a new type of system with the terminology and everything and thinking that everything’s consistent and it’s not. I mean I’m just happy to be here so I can start digesting all of it."

Sanders will replace Wallace while he holds out:

"I definitely will be in his spot at the ‘X’ position, but I got a good feeling that sometime, hopefully, about 4-5 or 3 days, Mike will be showing up. It will definitely be different, it’s going to be OTAs all over again.

"Mike is a smart guy, he picks up on things fairly well. I don’t have a problem with it, I doubt he’ll have a problem with it. The coaches are going to do everything they can do to make sure he understands the playbook.

" It’s definitely just X & Os, you don’t get that experience you get being out here or in OTAs. But they’ll give him his fair share of reps so he’’ catch up with us."

[URL]http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/117343-ed-steelers-likely-to-suspend-talks-with-wallace[/URL]

[ramblinjim]

I'm hoping Sanders has a great year this year, he seems like a good kid and I'd like to see him do well for us!

[RuthlessBurgher]

I don't see this necessarily helping Sanders...with Wallace out, Sanders will now be spending more time at split end in camp.

However, when the actual season starts, Sanders will be seeing more time in the slot.

Sure, there may be some extra reps for Manny in the short term, but those reps will not be from the position where he will likely be playing the vast majority of his real reps when the actual games start, so how helpful is that really? (yeah, I know that all of the receivers should know how to play X, Y, and Z, but when learning a new offense, I'd rather Manny focus on his inside slot work right now rather than filling in outside).

[Oviedo]

I don't see this necessarily helping Sanders...with Wallace out, Sanders will now be spending more time at split end in camp.

However, when the actual season starts, Sanders will be seeing more time in the slot.

Sure, there may be some extra reps for Manny in the short term, but those reps will not be from the position where he will likely be playing the vast majority of his real reps when the actual games start, so how helpful is that really? (yeah, I know that all of the receivers should know how to play X, Y, and Z, but when learning a new offense, I'd rather Manny focus on his inside slot work right now rather than filling in outside).

Once again. Wallace is the problem causing players to play out of position. Easy solution--just show up.

[dreegking]

I get the feeling it will be Miller who actually benefits this season more than anyone. Should Wallace and the Steelers continue to butt heads.

[phillyesq]

Sanders and Brown benefit from no Wallace. I hope they both have great seasons.

They may benefit in the short term from some extra reps, but not having Wallace to draw coverage will ultimately hurt them once games start.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers could use Wallace’s “X” receiver spot against him
Posted by Evan Silva on July 26, 2012, 9:37 AM EDT

New Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s recent “X” receivers have had a great deal of success. In Dallas, Terrell Owens was Haley’s X wideout. In Arizona, it was Larry Fitzgerald. In Kansas City, Dwayne Bowe.

The Steelers want Mike Wallace to be Haley’s latest X receiver, but Wallace isn’t in camp. His training camp holdout became official Wednesday when Wallace didn’t report to team headquarters in a timely manner. Wallace wants a new contract, and is refusing to sign his one-year, $2.472 million tender. The Steelers are now saying they won’t negotiate with Wallace until he caves.

In the meantime, usual slot guy Emmanuel Sanders will practice in Wallace’s X receiver spot. And coach Mike Tomlin says the Steelers will focus on Sanders’ development until something gives with Wallace.

“What I’m going to do is work with Emmanuel Sanders because he’s here, and be excited about doing it,” Tomlin told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Should Wallace’s holdout last especially long, it will be interesting to see whether the Steelers begin giving Antonio Brown reps at the featured X receiver position. Brown played well enough down the stretch last year — statistically outproducing Wallace — that there is some feeling Brown might develop into Pittsburgh’s best receiver.

And the Steelers could send another message to Wallace by giving his position in the new offense to a player who did report to camp, and who possesses quite a bit of talent in his own right.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/26/steelers-could-use-wallaces-x-receiver-spot-against-him/[/URL]

[AngryAsian]

See, that's what I'm talking about. I think Antonio Brown is a special player and is about to explode this season. I will make this bold prediction. Brown will catch 100+ balls this year on his way to yet another Pro Bowl season.

[Sugar]

See, that's what I'm talking about. I think Antonio Brown is a special player and is about to explode this season. I will make this bold prediction. Brown will catch 100+ balls this year on his way to yet another Pro Bowl season.

Only this time he makes it as a receiver and Rainey makes it as a returner.

[Oviedo]

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/26/steelers-could-use-wallaces-x-receiver-spot-against-him/[/URL]

Steelers win, Wallace loses!!!! Only person who doesn't see that is Wallace.

[Sugar]

Steelers win, Wallace loses!!!! Only person who doesn't see that is Wallace.

Apparently, Bus Cook doesn't either. People can say what they want about Cook being the employee, but while that's technically true it is extremely simple-minded. Bus has negotiated some of the biggest deals in history and Wallace is a kid looking at his first big contract. Do you think he's going to believe what he's heard in a locker room or read in a forum over a battle-tested agent? That's like going to court and insisting on what you saw on Judge Judy over your Lawyers advice.

Mike's job is to catch balls for a living. Bus' job is to get as big a fee as he can for himself, which means getting Mike the biggest deal he can (assuming he works on a percentage).

It's just business.