** The Official Mike Wallace Drama Thread **

The Steelers' most important free agent this off-season, obviously, is WR Mike Wallace. Even though he is a restricted free agent and will receive a first round tender offer from the Steelers (which will entitle Pittsburgh to a first-round selection in the event Wallace signed an offer sheet the Steelers decline to match), teams will certainly still be interested in the third-year pro, who's coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance, and has nowhere to go but up, talent-wise.

Wallace's departure would entitle Pittsburgh an additional first-round pick, and one obvious suitor will be San Francisco, a team on the verge of the Super Bowl, and without any glaring holes and the salary cap room to give Wallace a long-term deal.

So what would happen if the 49ers pulled the trigger?



Let's say San Francisco signs Wallace to an offer sheet, and the Steelers choose to decline to match it. That would give the Steelers the 30th overall pick in the draft, making it the first time in decades Pittsburgh had two first-round picks.

But it would be at least another year until they drafted twice in the first round.

The scratch provided by San Francisco would give the Steelers the ability to trade out of the first round. The likely target? Philadelphia.

The Eagles are in a similar position as the Steelers are, having franchised Desean Jackson, and contract talks have reportedly been stalled through several attempts to get him signed to a long-term deal. There are several receivers, such as Baylor's Kendall Wright and South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery, or even a defensive tackle like Penn State's Devon Still, who would be enticing prospects for the Eagles and would likely be available at No. 30.

It's a smart move for the Steelers, considering the best part of this draft class is in the middle rounds.

In this scenario I have the Steelers trading the acquired No. 30 pick from San Francisco to Philadelphia for both of their second round picks (No. 14 and No. 19 of the second round).

Pittsburgh would enter the draft knowing Wallace was gone (free agency begins March 13, and if Wallace was to receive an offer on that day, the Steelers would have seven days to match it). After exploring opportunities elsewhere, they take a wait-and-see approach, and remain on point to draft at 24.

With that pick:

(read more) http://www.steelersxtreme.com/t56p330-ask-buddha-formerly-ask-wally#28823

fer, I think you got the wrong link there.

My feet smell like Rex Ryan licked them.


edit : sunbitch

sorry guys!!!

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/3/5/2844668/2012-nfl-draft-mike-wallace-steelers-49ers-mock-draft

On the Steelers: The Mike Wallace Gambit
Sunday, March 11, 2012
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Both Art Rooney and Kevin Colbert have said publicly that Mike Wallace will be a priority.

"We're going to do everything we can to make sure Mike Wallace remains a Pittsburgh Steeler," Colbert said.

Notice, he did not say for how long, because if they are able to keep him longer than 2012 by signing him to a multiple-year contract, Wallace will enter rare company -- a wide receiver the Steelers were able to keep during the nearly 20-year free agency era by signing them to big contracts.

Among wide receivers who left in free agency were Yancey Thigpen, Plaxico Burress, Antwaan Randle El, Nate Washington, Bobby Shaw, Charles Johnson, Andre Hastings and more.

They also traded Santonio Holmes, Jeff Graham and Troy Edwards.

Here is the list of top wide receivers the Steelers were able to keep by signing them over the long term:

Hines Ward.

That's it.

The Steelers have a history of shrugging their shoulders when it comes to giving wide receivers long-term contracts since free agency began. They either did not want to keep them, did not want to pay them what others were willing to do, or they shipped them out and got meager returns before they could become free agents.

Ward is the only one they kept, and it seemed as though every time he signed a new contract, he said it guaranteed he would finish his career in Pittsburgh. Remember that the next time a player signs a new contract and is moved to declare the same.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12071/1215923-66.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml#ixzz1opqgq5Vk

we should be ok even if we can't re-sign him imo

fer69 wrote:

we should be ok even if we can't re-sign him imo

I agree. He didn't have a great season last year and that may be an indicator for us. I believe Brown and Sanders both have a bigger upside because they are not afraid to get hit where Wallace is. That's my opinion for what it's worth.

don't know a lot of free agent WRs this year and looks like a bunch of WRs in this years draft also next years draft.

I don't care if Wallace stays or goes. It would be nice if he stays, but I really won't be upset if he goes. Brown is a far better receiver.

Lady Steel wrote:

I don't care if Wallace stays or goes. It would be nice if he stays, but I really won't be upset if he goes. Brown is a far better receiver.

We'll be fine either way. I just hope we can re-sign Cotchery in either case. I think he can be the next Hines.

i agree with you guys. we would be o.k. with out him BUT i really hope we keep him

By NFL.com Staff

No news might be good news for the Steelers when it comes to Mike Wallace.

The Steelers have the right to match any offer for Wallace, who’s a restricted free agent. And any team making an offer not only would have to surrender a first-round draft pick but also possess enough salary-cap space to make an offer Pittsburgh can’t match.

I don’t think either the Ravens or the Patriots could make that happen. But let me throw out another team to keep in mind: the Bengals.

The Bengals have two first-round picks and a ton of cap room. They have the ability to put out an offer the Steelers have no way of matching and would give up their first-round pick (No. 21) but still have the pick from the Raiders (No. 17) from the Carson Palmer trade.

So, essentially, the Bengals would have traded Palmer for Wallace and a second-round pick.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2012/03/14/bengals-in-position-to-make-play-for-steelers-wr-wallace/
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The Bengals are going to be scary enough in years to come. I can't imagine having to face both Wallace and A.J. Green.

Here's an excerpt from Smizik. I totally agree with him.
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By Bob Smizik

Let’s suppose Wallace leaves, be it this year or next. What does that mean to the Steelers?

This is not to minimize the ability or the importance of Wallace, but Ben Roethlisberger has a lot to do with his emergence. Part of the reason the Steelers are awash in good, young wide receivers is the fact they have a franchise quarterback.

The Steelers have an interesting history of doing well after losing big-play, big-money receivers.

In 2004, Plaxico Burress, the team’s top deep threat -- like Wallace -- left via free agency and the Steelers responded by winning the Super Bowl the next year.

In 2009, the Steelers traded their top deep threat, Santonio Holmes, and two years later were back in the Super Bowl.

The top wide receivers in 2005, when the Steelers beat Seattle in the Super Bowl, included Hines Ward, Cedric Wilson and Antwaan Randle El.

The top wideouts in 2010, when the Steelers lost to Green Bay in the Super Bowl, were Ward, Wallace, a second-year pro, a past-his-prime Randle El and rookies Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown.

In 1995, when the Steelers lost to Dallas in the Super Bowl, the top wide receivers were Yancey Thigpen, Charles Johnson and Andre Hastings.

The point: A team does not need an all-star receiving corps to succeed in the NFL or even to get to the Super Bowl or win it.

http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/32270-what-happens-if-wallace-leaves

Wallace108 wrote:

The Bengals are going to be scary enough in years to come. I can't imagine having to face both Wallace and A.J. Green.

eh.....their the bengals they will surely screw it up somehow

| More
The Steel Mill
News and updates about the Pittsburgh Steelers


Good news, bad news about Wallace
March 14th, 2012

If you are a Steelers fan, the first day of free agency was good … no, make that great.

Six teams signed free agent receivers with another signing the night before.

And no, not one of them was named Mike Wallace.

Wallace is a restricted free agent and popular belief had a half dozen teams beating down agent Bus Cook’s door at 4:01 p.m. Tuesday to beg for Wallace’s services.

It didn’t happen, and it is almost assured (not guaranteed) that Wallace will not receive a qualifying offer on the restricted free agent market.

A first-round pick to go along with a hefty front-loaded contract is just too expensive even for a team with a lot of cap space.

Wallace will have no choice but to sign the first-round tender the Steelers offered him and play for $2.742 million this year.

But, of course, there is also bad news.

http://blog.triblive.com/steel-mill/...about-wallace/

I'm sorry but Wallace hasn't proven himself to be as clutch as the most of the WRs in that list.

When he can prove himself more consistent of a route runner, and clutch WR, then I'd say he's worth the money. Until then, take youre tender offer, or good luck on getting signed by another team. And if next year you can prove yourself worthy of that type of contract than so be it, but you damn well better know whose shoes you're trying to fill, and that man did a lot more than just catch balls in clutch moments!

vasteeler wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

The Bengals are going to be scary enough in years to come. I can't imagine having to face both Wallace and A.J. Green.

eh.....their the bengals they will surely screw it up somehow

Remember ... they got to the Super Bowl twice in the 80s. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

Wallace108 wrote:

vasteeler wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

The Bengals are going to be scary enough in years to come. I can't imagine having to face both Wallace and A.J. Green.

eh.....their the bengals they will surely screw it up somehow

Remember ... they got to the Super Bowl twice in the 80s. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

How many times have they been there in the 25+ years since?

Wallace108 wrote:

vasteeler wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

The Bengals are going to be scary enough in years to come. I can't imagine having to face both Wallace and A.J. Green.

eh.....their the bengals they will surely screw it up somehow

Remember ... they got to the Super Bowl twice in the 80s. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

Ah, I don't think they're the blind squirrel. I think the blind squirrel found them. Then he ate em'.

solardave wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

vasteeler wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

The Bengals are going to be scary enough in years to come. I can't imagine having to face both Wallace and A.J. Green.

eh.....their the bengals they will surely screw it up somehow

Remember ... they got to the Super Bowl twice in the 80s. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

Ah, I don't think they're the blind squirrel. I think the blind squirrel found them. Then he ate em'.

I don't think he ate them. I believe he designed their uniforms.

Buddha Bus wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

vasteeler wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

The Bengals are going to be scary enough in years to come. I can't imagine having to face both Wallace and A.J. Green.

eh.....their the bengals they will surely screw it up somehow

Remember ... they got to the Super Bowl twice in the 80s. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

How many times have they been there in the 25+ years since?

Which means they might be due. Regardless, I don't want Wallace anywhere near Cincy. He probably wouldn't look good in an orange jumpsuit. Then again, the shackles might slow him down enough for our DBs to cover him.

Wallace108 wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

vasteeler wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

The Bengals are going to be scary enough in years to come. I can't imagine having to face both Wallace and A.J. Green.

eh.....their the bengals they will surely screw it up somehow

Remember ... they got to the Super Bowl twice in the 80s. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

How many times have they been there in the 25+ years since?

Which means they might be due. Regardless, I don't want Wallace anywhere near Cincy. He probably wouldn't look good in an orange jumpsuit. Then again, the shackles might slow him down enough for our DBs to cover him.

How much speed do you think he could get up in a jail cell?

Mike Wallace situation still up in the air
PITTSBURGH STEELERS | COMMENTS

Mike Wallace is one of the premier big-play threats in the NFL. (Getty Images)

With each free-agent wide receiver signing, the spotlight progressively focuses in on Pittsburgh’s Mike Wallace.

The Steelers, with their financial hands tied this offseason, hit Wallace with a first-round tender — meaning that Wallace is free to talk with other teams, but that the Steelers have an opportunity to either match any contract offer presented him or receive a 2012 first-round pick as compensation.

And yet, Pittsburgh doesn’t seem outwardly nervous about the situation, despite the fact that any team in need of a receiver could swoop in and price the Steelers out of the Wallace market at any moment.

Part of that confidence comes from the compensation factor — losing Wallace would be a huge blow to the Steelers’ offense any way you cut it, but they’ve shown an ability to find receivers in the draft and would have two first-round opportunities to do so if Wallace departed.

The other reason behind Pittsburgh holding steady is that, while the rash of free-agent WR signings could push teams in Wallace’s direction, the flip side of it is that the market for a potential long-term deal with Wallace is being set. DeSean Jackson’s contract (five years, $51 million with $15 million guaranteed) might be a starting point for what’s fair for Wallace; he’s outproduced Jackson over the past two seasons.

The breakdown of the Jackson contract, especially, could play to Pittsburgh’s advantage.

(Read More:) http://nfl.si.com/2012/03/15/mike-wallace-situation-still-up-in-the-air/

ESPN's Adam Schefter suggested on NFL Live Thursday that no teams are going to make a move on restricted free agent Mike Wallace "unless circumstances change."
"Nobody's made a move," said Schefter. "Teams have debated it, but they're shying away from it right now." For cap reasons, former salary cap official and current CBS analyst Pat Kirwin believes teams will continue to shy away from Wallace until the NFL Draft draws near in April.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NFL&id=5329&line=229992&spln=1

stlrtruck wrote:

I'm sorry but Wallace hasn't proven himself to be as clutch as the most of the WRs in that list.

When he can prove himself more consistent of a route runner, and clutch WR, then I'd say he's worth the money. Until then, take youre tender offer, or good luck on getting signed by another team. And if next year you can prove yourself worthy of that type of contract than so be it, but you damn well better know whose shoes you're trying to fill, and that man did a lot more than just catch balls in clutch moments!

I agree Truck and that's why I think teams are reluctant to pull the trigger. Big money for a WR that so far hasn't really proved he's a #1 IMHO.