Report: Future RFA Antonio Brown Plans On Taking Different Path Than Mike Wallace

Report: Future RFA Antonio Brown Plans On Taking Different Path Than Mike Wallace


(Read Article:) http://www.steelersdepot.com/2012/05/report-future-rfa-antonio-brown-plans-on-taking-different-path-than-mike-wallace/

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Now this is what I want to hear/see. Brown seems to have his head screwed on right and his eyes on the prize. He realizes that for him to make the money he feels he deserves he has to be on the field proving himself a valuable commodity. You can't do that sitting at home sulking about your contract status or on the sidelines.

This is further proof to me that Brown is more valuable to this team than Wallace at the moment. I still love what Mike brings to the table, but prove yourself by helping this team win now and show your professionalism to the other possible suitors out there for next year. Somebody will give you what you're looking for if you can show your maturity and skills on the field, whether it be the Pittsburgh Steelers or some other team.

Two points ...

1. I love me some Antonio Brown, but it's always easier to say how you'd handle a situation when you're not actually in it. He's saying what we want to hear, and I admit that I love hearing it, but it's silly for Antonio to think that under no circumstances will he ever hold out. I'm sure Hines didn't wanna hold out either, but he did.

2. I think Wallace will either get a long-term deal or sign the tender by June 15. I really don't think he'll hold out beyond that point. Someone with a better understanding of contracts and such might be able to verify or dispute this, but in my opinion, Wallace knows that if he wants a long-term deal with the Steelers, it has to happen now. If he signs the tender, he's almost as good as gone after next season. I really don't see a scenario where the Steelers sign 3 receivers to long-term deals next year. This is just my opinion, but I think Wallace wants a long-term deal with the Steelers and is holding out from signing the tender because once he does, his days in Pittsburgh more than likely are numbered.

I totally agree with Buddha on this.

My gut instinct says that Antonio is a different type of player. I know it seems as though I despise Wallace -- really I don't. I would love to see the Steelers keep him. However, even if it is his agent starting all of this "larry Fitzgerald" hype, he does have control over what his agent says/does. When Wallace coined the phrase "young money", I think that it spoke volumes about his personality. I admit that I could be wrong about this situation, as I am not in Wallace's skin.

Besides, if Antonio states this then does the opposite, he will look like a total ass --- and honestly, again, this just doesn't seem to be his personality. After watching numerous interviews with Antonio, I happen to believe him just as Bouchette does.

Everything Brown says right now I believe because he has said the right things so far and I have no reason to doubt him. I say lock him up now. I too want Wallace to be here and if it can be done (trim the fat if Allen and Scott) don't pan out. Still I'm no cap expert by any stretch so I ask the cap squeezers here can it be done? Sign Wallace long term and lock up Antonio in the same year.

Gingerchip wrote:

When Wallace coined the phrase "young money", I think that it spoke volumes about his personality.

Wallace didn't coin the term. He stole it from rapper Lil Wayne (no, I didn't know that ... I looked it up. I'm not that hip). Both Lil Wayne and Wallace are from New Orleans, and Young Money is the name of Lil Wayne's crew. So that's where he got it from. Within the Young Money Crew, they all have their own names ... Wallace is Fast Money, Antonio is Cash Money, Sanders is Easy Money (although I've seen different names for both Brown and Sanders). They even had names for Ben and Hines ... Large Money and Old Money.

I think the Young Money thing is just a goofy way of building camaraderie. I don't think it's an indication that Wallace is greedy and cares only about money.

Honestly, in order of value as I see it currently concerning our top 4 WRs, I'd rank them in order of importance to the team as:

1) Brown
2) Wallace
3) Cotchery
4) Sanders

I honestly think Sanders is the most expendable of the bunch (as it stands now) mostly due to his inability to stay healthy, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't want all or any combination of them to stay. I like all 4 of them, but Brown is the priority in my eyes.

Antonio Brown paying close attention to Mike Wallace’s situation
Posted by Josh Alper on June 1, 2012, 10:39 AM EDT


One of the reasons cited for the Steelers’ reluctance to give a long-term contract to Mike Wallace is that they will be dealing with two more restricted free agent wide receivers next season.

Both Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders are entering the final year of their rookie deals and the Steelers are being careful about any message their dealings with Wallace will send to the other two receivers. Based on what Brown told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the team is right to be mindful of what he and Sanders will pick up from this offseason’s impasse with Wallace.

“It’s definitely a learning process for me, being that I could be faced with the same circumstances next year,” said Brown. “I tend to learn from it, take notes.”

(Read More:) http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/06/01/antonio-brown-paying-close-attention-to-mike-wallaces-situation/

Buddha Bus wrote:

Honestly, in order of value as I see it currently concerning our top 4 WRs, I'd rank them in order of importance to the team as:

1) Brown
2) Wallace
3) Cotchery
4) Sanders

Yeah, I'd put Brown ahead of Wallace right now as well. Although I'd put Sanders ahead of Cotchery. But even if Sanders stays healthy, I wouldn't put him above Wallace or Brown.

I hope you guys are right in trusting what Brown says, but I agree with what Alper said in his article you just posted:

Quote :

The good news for the Steelers is that, as of now, Brown says he won’t follow Wallace’s lead and skip out on offseason work next year. It’s a bit premature to pop any corks in celebration of that news, especially if something should develop that makes Brown rethink his plans.

Like I said earlier ... it's easy to say how you'd handle a situation when you're not in it. But when you're in the situation, things can change. So Brown can say what he wants now, and I believe that he believes it, but I don't think it's a guarantee that he won't end up holding out.

Regardless, Brown is the man right now.

Wallace108 wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

Honestly, in order of value as I see it currently concerning our top 4 WRs, I'd rank them in order of importance to the team as:

1) Brown
2) Wallace
3) Cotchery
4) Sanders

Yeah, I'd put Brown ahead of Wallace right now as well. Although I'd put Sanders ahead of Cotchery. But even if Sanders stays healthy, I wouldn't put him above Wallace or Brown.

I hope you guys are right in trusting what Brown says, but I agree with what Alper said in his article you just posted:

Quote :

The good news for the Steelers is that, as of now, Brown says he won’t follow Wallace’s lead and skip out on offseason work next year. It’s a bit premature to pop any corks in celebration of that news, especially if something should develop that makes Brown rethink his plans.

Like I said earlier ... it's easy to say how you'd handle a situation when you're not in it. But when you're in the situation, things can change. So Brown can say what he wants now, and I believe that he believes it, but I don't think it's a guarantee that he won't end up holding out.

Regardless, Brown is the man right now.

I just feel Cotchery gives us that hard-nosed veteran presence we need to replace Ward. The young guys need someone to help keep them grounded and bring them along by providing them with useful experience to gain knowledge from. That, and Sanders' health issues, is why I have him higher than Sanders at the moment. My opinion could easily be changed this year if Sanders shows he can stay on the field. I know he has the skills to be better and youth on his side. Now he just has to be able to show it and help the team by staying on the field more consistently.

Buddha Bus wrote:

I just feel Cotchery gives us that hard-nosed veteran presence we need to replace Ward. The young guys need someone to help keep them grounded and bring them along by providing them with useful experience to gain knowledge from. That, and Sanders' health issues, is why I have him higher than Sanders at the moment. My opinion could easily be changed this year if Sanders shows he can stay on the field. I know he has the skills to be better and youth on his side. Now he just has to be able to show it and help the team by staying on the field more consistently.

I get what you're saying. Sanders obviously needs to stay healthy. I'm not sure I agree with your assessment of Cotchery though. Well, not that I don't agree ... I'm just not sure. He's a good receiver and I'm glad we have him, but I don't know that his presence can replace Ward just because he's a veteran. For all we know, Cotchery might be a good receiver but not a good veteran leader. I'm obviously not saying that he isn't ... just that I don't know. My gut tells me that Brown will be the one to step up and replace Ward as the leader in the receiving corps. He's entering his third year, he had two seasons to learn from Ward, and he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

Wallace108 wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

I just feel Cotchery gives us that hard-nosed veteran presence we need to replace Ward. The young guys need someone to help keep them grounded and bring them along by providing them with useful experience to gain knowledge from. That, and Sanders' health issues, is why I have him higher than Sanders at the moment. My opinion could easily be changed this year if Sanders shows he can stay on the field. I know he has the skills to be better and youth on his side. Now he just has to be able to show it and help the team by staying on the field more consistently.

I get what you're saying. Sanders obviously needs to stay healthy. I'm not sure I agree with your assessment of Cotchery though. Well, not that I don't agree ... I'm just not sure. He's a good receiver and I'm glad we have him, but I don't know that his presence can replace Ward just because he's a veteran. For all we know, Cotchery might be a good receiver but not a good veteran leader. I'm obviously not saying that he isn't ... just that I don't know. My gut tells me that Brown will be the one to step up and replace Ward as the leader in the receiving corps. He's entering his third year, he had two seasons to learn from Ward, and he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

I don't think anybody can exactly replace Ward, but I feel Cotchery is the closest thing we have right now. I'd rather have SOME veteran presence than none. I didn't necessarily mean he's a leader on Ward's level. Just that he can provide some of the types of experience that Ward had for the younger guys to follow.

Buddha Bus wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

I just feel Cotchery gives us that hard-nosed veteran presence we need to replace Ward. The young guys need someone to help keep them grounded and bring them along by providing them with useful experience to gain knowledge from. That, and Sanders' health issues, is why I have him higher than Sanders at the moment. My opinion could easily be changed this year if Sanders shows he can stay on the field. I know he has the skills to be better and youth on his side. Now he just has to be able to show it and help the team by staying on the field more consistently.

I get what you're saying. Sanders obviously needs to stay healthy. I'm not sure I agree with your assessment of Cotchery though. Well, not that I don't agree ... I'm just not sure. He's a good receiver and I'm glad we have him, but I don't know that his presence can replace Ward just because he's a veteran. For all we know, Cotchery might be a good receiver but not a good veteran leader. I'm obviously not saying that he isn't ... just that I don't know. My gut tells me that Brown will be the one to step up and replace Ward as the leader in the receiving corps. He's entering his third year, he had two seasons to learn from Ward, and he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

I don't think anybody can exactly replace Ward, but I feel Cotchery is the closest thing we have right now. I'd rather have SOME veteran presence than none. I didn't necessarily mean he's a leader on Ward's level. Just that he can provide some of the types of experience that Ward had for the younger guys to follow.

No, I understand what you mean. And I agree that it'll be hard for anyone to replace Ward.