Steelers offer to RFA WR Mike Wallace: one-year, $2.7 million

[Deus Irae]

...By waiting the market settles down and teams that have spent or over spent on free agent WRs will be out of the mix.for Wallace....

It also keeps the Steelers handcuffed, as they've got under $6 million to spend under the cap right now, and can't afford to go after too many free agents with the specter of someone dropping an offer to Wallace that includes 10-15 million for this season looming over them.

 

[supafly]

It also keeps the Steelers handcuffed, as they've got under $6 million to spend under the cap right now, and can't afford to go after too many free agents with the specter of someone dropping an offer to Wallace that includes 10-15 million for this season looming over them.

Very true, good point.

 

[MP-Logick]

Not counting Connolly's deal, we apparently have 13.6 million left in cap space. A little to play with, but not too much.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I realize that makes sense on some level, but isn't it a gamble at the same time too (waiting)?

Isn't it possible that some other team could get to him first?

As I've said a million times, I can't honestly believe that Belichick would think about this particular move for one second; but it's fun to speculate, I guess.

A guy like R.Wayne, who was proven, smart, played in a good system, and was relatively inexpensive was undoubtedly the most obvious choice. It isn't a coincidence that the Pats were interested in him.

I'd say the flirtation with Wayne suggests that Belichick is leaning towards a cheaper stopgap at WR.

Lloyd at age 31 would also be a stopgap, and certainly cheaper than a 25 year old Wallace.

Unfortunately Ochocinco was also supposed to be the cheap stopgap at the deep WR position and we all know how that worked out, so I'm a little gunshy about the cheap stopgaps, but I would feel a lot better about Lloyd than Ocho any day.

I think the real key piece of the puzzle here is Welker. If they feel they won't be able to sign him to a reasonable long term contract, there's no reason not to seriously consider expending that money towards a young and possibly improving #1 WR who has torn it up his first three years and could be productive for another 5-8 years.

They could still keep Welker under the tag this season but I don't think they would expend $9 million a year on two long term WR signings.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Not counting Connolly's deal, we apparently have 13.6 million left in cap space. A little to play with, but not too much.

Cap space isn't unlimited but if there's a player you want there's dozens of ways to free up millions of cap space through restructurings.

 

[Deus Irae]

Gotta figure this one's not coming to New England now......

 

[mgteich]

I don't expect anyone to bid on Wallace until April. This forces the Steelers to freeze cap funds in order to match or to give up on Wallace. It seems very likely that someone like Denver will offer a deal with at least a $10M 2012 cap number. They might even offer more, since they can afford to front-end or levelize the contract, with little need for an amortized bonus.

I don't expect the patriots to be a bidder unless the situation with Welker deteriorates considerably.

 

[zipster9]

I'd say the flirtation with Wayne suggests that Belichick is leaning towards a cheaper stopgap at WR.

Lloyd at age 31 would also be a stopgap, and certainly cheaper than a 25 year old Wallace.

Unfortunately Ochocinco was also supposed to be the cheap stopgap at the deep WR position and we all know how that worked out, so I'm a little gunshy about the cheap stopgaps, but I would feel a lot better about Lloyd than Ocho any day.

I think the real key piece of the puzzle here is Welker. If they feel they won't be able to sign him to a reasonable long term contract, there's no reason not to seriously consider expending that money towards a young and possibly improving #1 WR who has torn it up his first three years and could be productive for another 5-8 years.

They could still keep Welker under the tag this season but I don't think they would expend $9 million a year on two long term WR signings.

Yes, if Pats can sign Welker to long term deal, then the cap will be reduced..

What Patriots can do is put a bid for Wallace, say 6m/yr for 4yrs. This forces Steelers to match this and push them into cap hell. If Steelers cannot match, we have a very good WR for OCHO money. If not, we force Steelers to cut more just to keep him..

 

[IcyPatriot]

Wallace is not coming here .... :nono:

49ers Blog and Q&A: The 49ers inquired about Mike Wallace but ...

How much? A league source said that Wallace, 25, wants a contract that surpasses the eight-year, $120 million deal that signed last year with the Cardinals.

Combine that with the first-round pick any team that signs Wallace to an offer sheet would lose if the Steelers didn't match the offer, and you start to understand why we've heard so little about Wallace in the last week and a half.

 

[PatsSox363804]

Wallace is not coming here .... :nono:

49ers Blog and Q&A: The 49ers inquired about Mike Wallace but ...

He's insane if he thinks he deserves that much money.

 

[PatsFan2]

Wallace is not coming here .... :nono:

49ers Blog and Q&A: The 49ers inquired about Mike Wallace but ...

Good stuff but we have moved on...Wallace wants much more than people think he's worth. They are many WR's in this Draft with his skill sets. I could see the Patriots going than route and it wouldn't cost 125Mill sorry Mike hope you cash in somwhere else. Slallworth can probably do half the stuff Wallace can do but that's good enough for our Offense. We just want the Speed on our Outsides to be respected.

 

[DefenseRules]

He's insane if he thinks he deserves that much money.

Maybe, but someone will pay it.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

He's insane if he thinks he deserves that much money.

Interesting that 49er fans have a drastically better and more realistic evaluation of Wallace than patsfans.com

 

[DonBlackmon55]

Wallace is not coming here .... :nono:

49ers Blog and Q&A: The 49ers inquired about Mike Wallace but ...

LOL, 8 yr/120 mill. He would be lucky, LUCKY to sniff half that contract offer. Wallace is good but an inconsistent route runner and disappeared for long stretches during last season

He is not an ELITE WR in the same category as Megatron, Fitzgerald. That kind of stupid money is not coming to Wallace. If he has pipe dreams of landing such contract he needs to lay off the weed because there isn't 1 team that will offer him that in 2012, or 2013, especially to a WR that was NOT even the BEST WR on his own team in 2011.

 

[Rob0729]

Did anyone really think the Pats were realistically going to get Wallace or that his contract demands are any less than he expected? I always said that Wallace is going to get at least $10-12 million a year. That meant the Pats were never going to get him. The fact he is asking for $15 million plus a year isn't surprising because I am sure he is willing to negotiate down to $12 million a year.

 

[Deus Irae]

A league source said that Wallace, 25, wants a contract that surpasses the eight-year, $120 million deal that signed last year with the Cardinals.

"And once again, children, we see why you shouldn't do drugs."

 

[SONS_OF_BELICHICK]

It only takes one.....but anyone doing it this year ...smoking crack...might as well wait 1 year and get him.... but not a patriots player....all about the money....

 

[moosekill]

Big O and Holley have been screaming for this guy for the last few weeks, and I just don't get it. Yes he is very fast, but for that contract and the 1st rounder, I just never got it. Plus, it takes more than just being fast to be a great receiver.

 

[foreboding]

LOL, 8 yr/120 mill. He would be lucky, LUCKY to sniff half that contract offer. Wallace is good but an inconsistent route runner and disappeared for long stretches during last season

He is not an ELITE WR in the same category as Megatron, Fitzgerald. That kind of stupid money is not coming to Wallace. If he has pipe dreams of landing such contract he needs to lay off the weed because there isn't 1 team that will offer him that in 2012, or 2013, especially to a WR that was NOT even the BEST WR on his own team in 2011.

Yeah, no chance, that is insane, he has not done nearly enough to get that kind of dough. Fitz and Megatron can take over a game no matter who plays QB. Wallace is delusional.

 

[PatsSox363804]

That also tells you that its his last year in Pittsburgh unless he is franchised because Pittsburgh isn't paying that.