Report: Vikings expected to battle Dolphins for Mike Wallace

[Siggy00]

So the Steelers were stupid when they paid Hines big money?

[NorthCoast]

You see what is happening here? Teams that don't have a backup plan get desperate right about now. They end up throwing ungodly amounts of money at players less-deserving and in the end screw it up for teams that try to do it the right way. If Wallace gets $12M, how much should a C Johnson or L Fitzergald get?.... owners are so stupid.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

A few inaccuracies here:

1. He wasn't a holdout, he was a free agent.

Well, depends on how you use the term "holdout"...he was definitely "holding out" for more money...But you're correct that he was a free agent and not under contract at the time. So he was nothing like the player under contract who doesn't show up.

2. He did learn the offense, he had his playbook while not under contract. He knew the offense so well that his coaches were impressed with how much he did know when they gave him a crash course test the week he signed his tender and reported.

Good point and good for you for pointing it out.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Hopefully, the Steelers will find Wallace's replacement in the draft...but there's always the danger they could select Limas II instead.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Oh, and enough with "the Steelers don't lose any players they would like to keep" hogwash...the Steelers would like to keep Wallace...and Keenan Lewis...and Harrison...and some of the other players they will likely lose...but it all comes down to money. They're cap-strapped. So they have to prioritize, and do the best they can for the overall TEAM. And that will mean releasing some of these players.

Again, this upcoming draft is crucial. They need to "score" on just about every selection.

[fordfixer]

A few inaccuracies here:

1. He wasn't a holdout, he was a free agent.

2. He did learn the offense, he had his playbook while not under contract. He knew the offense so well that his coaches were impressed with how much he did know when they gave him a crash course test the week he signed his tender and reported.

Looked who Crashed the party. Welcome back to the Planet

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Looked who Crashed the party. Welcome back to the Planet

I called it in the "Ben Arm Strength" thread yesterday :

Siggy, something about the way you post reminds me a lot of a former contributor to this board whose user name started with a "C" and rhymed with "rash"...

[fordfixer]

I called it in the "Ben Arm Strength" thread yesterday :

Dang you win

[hawaiiansteel]

Mike Wallace free agent rumors: Dolphins 'lead dog' to sign WR, per report

By Adam Stites on Mar 9 2013

The nice South Florida weather could be the reason that Mike Wallace chooses to join the Dolphins.

With multiple teams prepared to pay Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace plenty in free agency, the Miami Dolphins are the "lead dog" to acquire the receiver thanks to their warm climate, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.

But the steamy climate where the Dolphins are based could be the tiebreaker as Wallace mulls where to play.

"He prefers warm weather," the source said.

Wallace, 26, was a third-round pick of the Steelers in the 2009 NFL Draft out of the University of Mississippi, and quickly made an impact on the team with 32 touchdowns in four seasons. The deep threat is consistently among the NFL's best in yards per reception, although his production dropped off some in 2012 with the absence of Ben Roethlisberger.

The Dolphins were content to trade away receiver Brandon Marshall during the 2012 offseason, but struggled to find a replacement for him in the passing game. While Brian Hartline accumulated 1,083 yards receiving, no wideout on the team managed to haul in more than one touchdown pass, and the lack of receiving threats made things difficult for rookie Ryan Tannehill.

Per Marvez, Wallace is expected to draw offers that would average between $11 and $12 million per season.

[URL]http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2013/3/9/4084454/mike-wallace-rumors-dolphins-nfl-free-agency/in/3847997[/URL]

[supersteeler]

[url]http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2013/03/09/report-mike-wallace-linked-to-patriots/[/url]

Patriots might be in the mix too for Wallace.

[Oviedo]

You see what is happening here? Teams that don't have a backup plan get desperate right about now. They end up throwing ungodly amounts of money at players less-deserving and in the end screw it up for teams that try to do it the right way. If Wallace gets $12M, how much should a C Johnson or L Fitzergald get?.... owners are so stupid.

$$$$$ It's not a coincidence that the teams with the most cap space are typically bad teams with bad management. The Steelers will always take the long term view of what is good for the team versus padding a player's bank account who they aren't totally sold on will be a star and a difference maker. As much as fans fall over themselves for Wallace, I never believed the management felt the same way about him which is why they didn't hesitate to give Brown the long-term contract. Of course they would have liked to keep Wallace because he was a known quantity but they were only going to do it at their price under their terms. That is how it should be.

[hawaiiansteel]

By Dan Pompei | National Football Post

For the next week or so, the NFL will be a wide receiver world.

So many have wide receiver envy. Among the teams who could make wide receiver moves include the Dolphins, Vikings, Patriots, Browns, Steelers, Rams, 49ers, Bears and Jets.

Wide receivers are expected to be the stars of free agency, 2013. They already have been the stars, and free agency hasn’t even begun yet. The Chiefs coughed up a reported $56 million over five years to prevent up and down Dwayne Bowe from becoming a free agent. And the Dolphins paid Brian Hartline, who has had one 1,000 yard receiving season, an average of more than $6 million per year to keep him off the market.

“I think Brian could have gotten more money if he went to free agency,” his agent Drew Rosenhaus told me. “But he wanted to stay in Miami, so he was comfortable with it. There will be a couple of free agents paid a No. 1 receiver’s salary. A few will get No. 2 money. And a lot will get No. 3 and No. 4 receiver deals. We wanted to get to the top of No. 2 wide receiver salary tier with Brian.”

Mike Wallace: catch him if you can.

The Hartline and Bowe contracts were just warmup pitches. Other wide receivers with expiring contracts who are in line for paydays include Mike Wallace of the Steelers, Greg Jennings of the Packers, Wes Welker of the Patriots, Danny Amendola of the Rams and Brandon Gibson of the Rams. There even has been talk that restricted free agent Victor Cruz of the Giants will get some play. If he does, he could be the highest paid of all.

Otherwise, Wallace is likely to sign the biggest contract of any non-quarterback of the offseason. He is this year’s Mario Williams.

But that’s what gives some teams pause. Mario Williams didn’t exactly light up Buffalo last year. And there is a string of wide receivers who signed big money free agent deals who disappointed. The lastest is Robert Meacham. In previous years, there were T.J. Houshmanzadeh, Javon Walker and Alvin Harper.

And Wallace is likely to be highly overpaid. Those who should know speculate his new deal will average more than $13 million per season. “There is no Vincent Jackson this year,” a personnel director for an NFC team said. “Mike Wallace is more of an outside vertical guy, but he doesn’t go inside much. He isn’t real strong run after catch. He’s pretty good at comebacks and hitches because defenders play off him since they have to respect his speed.”

With wide, receivers, it’s always buyer beware. Free agency isn’t a sure-fire way to acquire a wideout, though it often is a more reliable way to land one than the high rounds of the draft.

There are a number of issues specific to wide receivers that increase the risk factor. Including:

*Receivers who fit well in one system don’t always fit well in another. They are not interchangeable parts.

“Some guys only can play inside,” said an AFC pro personnel director. “Some are only Xs. Some aren’t smart enough to learn all three positions, especially if they are in a new system.”

[URL]http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfp-sunday-blitz-093023787--nfl.html[/URL]

[feltdizz]

Percy Harvin traded to Seattle for their 1st, 7th, and a mid rounder in 2014.

[url]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000149327/article/vikings-agree-to-trade-percy-harvin-to-seahawks[/url]

Also hearing rumors that no one else in interested in Wallace due to his asking price. If the Vikings aren't interested it could get tricky for Wallace due to no other teams driving up his price.. but I have heard the Pats are interested but they don't pay.

[url]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000149282/article/report-dolphins-have-no-competition-for-mike-wallace[/url]

[phillyesq]

$$$$$ It's not a coincidence that the teams with the most cap space are typically bad teams with bad management. The Steelers will always take the long term view of what is good for the team versus padding a player's bank account who they aren't totally sold on will be a star and a difference maker. As much as fans fall over themselves for Wallace, I never believed the management felt the same way about him which is why they didn't hesitate to give Brown the long-term contract. Of course they would have liked to keep Wallace because he was a known quantity but they were only going to do it at their price under their terms. That is how it should be.

Wallace is going to be overpaid, no question about it. But lets not pretend that the Steelers are adequately prepared for his departure. Sanders has yet to demonstrate that he is a starting caliber WR. He is an ok #3 but Brown is the only legit starting WR on the team, and he profiles better as a #2.

[steelz09]

Percy Harvin traded to Seattle for their 1st, 7th, and a mid rounder in 2014.

[URL]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000149327/article/vikings-agree-to-trade-percy-harvin-to-seahawks[/URL]

Also hearing rumors that no one else in interested in Wallace due to his asking price. If the Vikings aren't interested it could get tricky for Wallace due to no other teams driving up his price.. but I have heard the Pats are interested but they don't pay.

[URL]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000149282/article/report-dolphins-have-no-competition-for-mike-wallace[/URL]

Rumor is the Pats are bringing back Welker. No way the Pats could afford Wallace and Welker. The Pats aren't stupid. They'd rather have a dynamic Welker over a one-trick poney Wallace