Steelers Leave Wallace’s Offer On The Table

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) — The Pittsburgh Steelers had the opportunity to lower wide receiver Mike Wallace’s contract offer to as low as $577,500 Thursday night and chose not to do so.

There was a deadline at midnight Thursday to potentially lower Wallace’s offer, which is set at $2.7 million for the coming season, but the Steelers let the current offer remain on the table. The franchise reportedly did so because it wants to continue to negotiate a long-term deal with Wallace.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/06/15/steelers-leave-wallaces-offer-on-the-table/
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I've been banging this drum for a while now, but I still say they reach a long-term deal. All you haters can just keep on hating.

If he wants a long term deal then sign the offer, get your arse in camp, and let your agent work out the long term numbers.

Right now I fear that his agent is filling his head full of shite that isn't right and he's believing every snip-it. I like Wallace but right now the last thing he deserves is Fitzy money, but what he should be doing is learning the new offense with his team.

I fear this isn't going to end well.

F@&k wallace!! He ain't no Fitz or megatron
Wallace is fast and yeah that's it FAST!!! he's afraid
of contact and he'll never out jump any d-backs in the end zone
Plus I hate his ass

fer69 wrote:

F@&k wallace!! He ain't no Fitz or megatron
Wallace is fast and yeah that's it FAST!!! he's afraid
of contact and he'll never out jump any d-backs in the end zone
Plus I hate his ass

Why do you hate him?

Wallace108 wrote:

fer69 wrote:

F@&k wallace!! He ain't no Fitz or megatron
Wallace is fast and yeah that's it FAST!!! he's afraid
of contact and he'll never out jump any d-backs in the end zone
Plus I hate his ass

Why do you hate him?

Because he's black. Racist

I don't hate him but I honestly believe he is taking some real bad advice. I also think he lives in a fantasy world where he imagines what he is capaple of doing and for some reason thinks he's already done it and more.
IMHO he hasn't even proven that he is a #1 receiver in this league. Brown is tougher and won't shy away from the middle. Sanders when healthy is maybe one notch below Wallace( might be a stretch here but I'm talking about speed) so why can't he get his head on straight and come to camp.
That would be the smart thing to do but he is just being STUPID.

If this makes me a hater Wally then I guess I hate STUPIDITY.
To take it a step further the FO (by not reducing the offer) is showing they want him here long term. That's all I'm saying so I agree with Truck!

Don't hate the player, hate the agent. Or---hate the player.

I totally understand what everyone is saying and why you all feel the way you do, but here's why I see the situation a little differently:

1. Wallace didn't hold out in the middle of a contract to demand more money like some players do. I HATE when players do that. They signed the contract, they should play it out. Period. If Wallace was holding out while still under contract, I'd have no sympathy for him.

2. It seems clear that Wallace wants to be a Steeler for a long time. I'm still convinced that he didn't sign the tender because he knows that would end his chance of getting a long-term contract with the Steelers. And I don't blame him for holding out. Contract negotiations are a game of leverage. And both sides are using whatever leverage they have. We all knew coming in to this situation that the Steelers held most of the cards. Holding out is the only card that Wallace had, and he's playing it.

3. Everyone is OK with kicking Wallace to the curb because we have A. Brown. Here's the thing ... and I'm not trying to sound negative; I'm just being realistic ... Brown had a solid year, not even an entire year really, but I'd like to see him do it more than once before putting him into the Hall of Fame. And I don't agree with the criticism of Wallace that he doesn't go across the middle and isn't as tough as Brown. They're different receivers. Together, they remind me of Stallworth and Swann. Would Stallworth have been the same without Swann? No. And I don't expect Brown to be the same without Wallace. We're much better if we have them both.

The bottom line for me is it seems that Wallace wants a long-term deal, and the Steelers want to give him a long-term deal. It's just a matter of coming to agreement on the money. I still believe that a deal is going to get done, and he'll be there when camp starts. If he's not, THEN I'll start getting frustrated.

BGSU A Dub wrote:

Look at the contract stuff that has been going on with Brees and Welker. These contract things always aren't nice and easy.

Yeah, I agree. And if Wallace was out running his mouth to the media like Ochostinko or T.O., then I'd feel much differently.

I want Wallace on the team, and if he would have signed the tender, he would be gone after next season. Both sides want a long-term deal. Brown will probably get a nice payday after next season, so you can't blame Wallace for wanting to get as much as he can in the deal, especially since he'd be stuck with it for a number of years ... and what if Brown gets more money and Wallace outperforms him? That would create some problems. Wallace is in a tough situation with little leverage, so I don't blame him for holding out and trying to get as much as he can.

With that said, he has until the start of camp. At that point, he needs to be there one way or another.

Wallace108 wrote:

BGSU A Dub wrote:

Look at the contract stuff that has been going on with Brees and Welker. These contract things always aren't nice and easy.

Yeah, I agree. And if Wallace was out running his mouth to the media like Ochostinko or T.O., then I'd feel much differently.

I want Wallace on the team, and if he would have signed the tender, he would be gone after next season. Both sides want a long-term deal. Brown will probably get a nice payday after next season, so you can't blame Wallace for wanting to get as much as he can in the deal, especially since he'd be stuck with it for a number of years ... and what if Brown gets more money and Wallace outperforms him? That would create some problems. Wallace is in a tough situation with little leverage, so I don't blame him for holding out and trying to get as much as he can.

With that said, he has until the start of camp. At that point, he needs to be there one way or another.

I agree with all of the above, but I think he's a little full of himself, and that's undoubtedly his agent. Either that or Ike is lying through his teeth.

It just seems that we aren't getting a lot of information on the contract negotiations (on either side). So it's hard to tell how far off both sides are at this time.

I like Wallace and I think he's a key piece to our offense. However, I know that our offense can survive without him. I just think he has to recognize the difference between what Fitzy brought to the table before he got his money, and what he has already brought to the table.

bayz101 wrote:

I agree with all of the above, but I think he's a little full of himself, and that's undoubtedly his agent. Either that or Ike is lying through his teeth.

I think the whole "Fitz money" thing was just a negotiation tactic. No different than if you're selling something and set the price really high, knowing you won't get it. Then someone comes back with a much lower offer, and you end up meeting somewhere in the middle.

stlrtruck wrote:

It just seems that we aren't getting a lot of information on the contract negotiations (on either side). So it's hard to tell how far off both sides are at this time.

And that's the way it SHOULD be. We know the Steelers don't like to air their business in public. And it's good that Wallace is keeping his mouth shut and not trying to sway public opinion to his side. The less we know, that tells me that things are still OK. When we see Wallace running to the media, then we know things have broken down.

3. Everyone is OK with kicking Wallace to the curb because we have A. Brown. Here's the thing ... and I'm not trying to sound negative; I'm just being realistic ... Brown had a solid year, not even an entire year really, but I'd like to see him do it more than once before putting him into the Hall of Fame. And I don't agree with the criticism of Wallace that he doesn't go across the middle and isn't as tough as Brown. They're different receivers. Together, they remind me of Stallworth and Swann. Would Stallworth have been the same without Swann? No. And I don't expect Brown to be the same without Wallace. We're much better if we have them both.


I agree with a lot of what you're saying. I don't think comparing Brown/Wallace to Swann/ Stallworth is a good comparison. Swann took some hits and got back up. I think he was tougher than Wallace and Stallworth would be in the HOF with or without Swann. I want Wallace back also.
The thing about Brown is he was the guy who WASN'T double covered so he may have looked a little better, like Wallace in his second year. When I say he's tough I mean watch him when he doesn't have the ball like Hines he's looking to hit somebody. Let's talk Steeler caliber WR. You have to block,period. Now go watch film on Wallace and you'll see half-hearted attempts. It's not just going across the middle it's the blocking and all facets that lead me to believe he's still got to prove he deserves Fitz money. Last season hurt him. If he had80-90 receptions for 1000 or more he'd be signed by now I think. But he had a bad second half. Who's fault is that? Well it is your last rehearsal before your contract is up. Isn't that when you're supposed to shine?

[quote="Wallace108"]

bayz101 wrote:

I agree with all of the above, but I think he's a little full of himself, and that's undoubtedly his agent. Either that or Ike is lying through his teeth.

I think the whole "Fitz money" thing was just a negotiation tactic. No different than if you're selling something and set the price really high, knowing you won't get it. Then someone comes back with a much lower offer, and you end up meeting somewhere in the middle.

__________________________

Well, I wasn't referring to the money thing. That was likely a rumor altogether. I was talking about Wallace's conversations with Ike Taylor. Wallace said that he did better than Randy Moss and Jerry Rice in the first three years, and that's he's not getting paid enough. All of which is false, by the way. Jerry Rice only played 12 games in his third year, and he STILL outperformed Wallace.

I'm not sure where his head is other than a foot up his own keester.

solardave wrote:

I agree with a lot of what you're saying. I don't think comparing Brown/Wallace to Swann/ Stallworth is a good comparison. Swann took some hits and got back up. I think he was tougher than Wallace and Stallworth would be in the HOF with or without Swann. I want Wallace back also.
The thing about Brown is he was the guy who WASN'T double covered so he may have looked a little better, like Wallace in his second year. When I say he's tough I mean watch him when he doesn't have the ball like Hines he's looking to hit somebody. Let's talk Steeler caliber WR. You have to block,period. Now go watch film on Wallace and you'll see half-hearted attempts. It's not just going across the middle it's the blocking and all facets that lead me to believe he's still got to prove he deserves Fitz money. Last season hurt him. If he had80-90 receptions for 1000 or more he'd be signed by now I think. But he had a bad second half. Who's fault is that? Well it is your last rehearsal before your contract is up. Isn't that when you're supposed to shine?

I wasn't trying to compare Brown-Wallace to Stallworth-Swann. My point was just that they were different receivers who complemented each other. Stallworth was a possession receiver, and Swann was a big-play threat. That's how I see Wallace and Brown. Wallace isn't going to play like Ward, nor should he. We've got Brown to fill that role to some degree. We don't need two receivers like that. We need one to stretch the field and open up things underneath.

This is just me thinking out loud and not really a direct response to your post, Dave ...

I think Ward really changed how we look at receivers. We think of Ward as playing Steelers football and expect every receiver to be just like him. But Ward didn't follow the script ... he wrote the script. Swann and Stallworth didn't play like Ward. Lipps didn't play like Ward. No one played like Ward. He was one of a kind. But now we expect every Steelers receiver to be the next Hines Ward and play just like him. And we're going to be disappointed if they don't block well or lay out linebackers and safeties. Ward was awesome, and I loved everything about him. But it's not important for future receivers to play just like him. All we need from our receivers is to catch passes, gain yards, and score touchdowns. If one comes along who plays similar to Ward, great. But I don't think we should expect every receiver to be the next Hines Ward. That would be like expecting the next safety to be exactly like Troy. He's also one of a kind, so it's not going to happen.

just wondering whats the gap between Wallace and the Steelers on Wallace's contract?

Wallace108 wrote:

solardave wrote:

I agree with a lot of what you're saying. I don't think comparing Brown/Wallace to Swann/ Stallworth is a good comparison. Swann took some hits and got back up. I think he was tougher than Wallace and Stallworth would be in the HOF with or without Swann. I want Wallace back also.
The thing about Brown is he was the guy who WASN'T double covered so he may have looked a little better, like Wallace in his second year. When I say he's tough I mean watch him when he doesn't have the ball like Hines he's looking to hit somebody. Let's talk Steeler caliber WR. You have to block,period. Now go watch film on Wallace and you'll see half-hearted attempts. It's not just going across the middle it's the blocking and all facets that lead me to believe he's still got to prove he deserves Fitz money. Last season hurt him. If he had80-90 receptions for 1000 or more he'd be signed by now I think. But he had a bad second half. Who's fault is that? Well it is your last rehearsal before your contract is up. Isn't that when you're supposed to shine?

I wasn't trying to compare Brown-Wallace to Stallworth-Swann. My point was just that they were different receivers who complemented each other. Stallworth was a possession receiver, and Swann was a big-play threat. That's how I see Wallace and Brown. Wallace isn't going to play like Ward, nor should he. We've got Brown to fill that role to some degree. We don't need two receivers like that. We need one to stretch the field and open up things underneath.

This is just me thinking out loud and not really a direct response to your post, Dave ...

I think Ward really changed how we look at receivers. We think of Ward as playing Steelers football and expect every receiver to be just like him. But Ward didn't follow the script ... he wrote the script. Swann and Stallworth didn't play like Ward. Lipps didn't play like Ward. No one played like Ward. He was one of a kind. But now we expect every Steelers receiver to be the next Hines Ward and play just like him. And we're going to be disappointed if they don't block well or lay out linebackers and safeties. Ward was awesome, and I loved everything about him. But it's not important for future receivers to play just like him. All we need from our receivers is to catch passes, gain yards, and score touchdowns. If one comes along who plays similar to Ward, great. But I don't think we should expect every receiver to be the next Hines Ward. That would be like expecting the next safety to be exactly like Troy. He's also one of a kind, so it's not going to happen.

But I think this is what we, as Steelers fans, have come to expect. Chuck Noll wrote the book on Steelers football. He created the image that is now THE STEELERS. He erased years of misery and created a winning franchise. He wrote the script for coaches to follow after him, and thankfully the Steelers have had 2 successful coaches in succession after Noll. Now when it comes to players look at the players that have written scripts for positions:

QB - Terry Bradshaw, and not until Ben has anyone come close to writing over that script

RB - Jerome Bettis (I would have said Franco, but Jerome wrote over his script), and look what we expect from our RBs now

WR - Hines Ward (again Swann and Stallworth wrote the first script, but Hines eclipsed that standard), and now we want all of our WRs to play the way Hines played

O-Line - Webster, Dawson, the guy that went to the NY Jets, and even now those are the comparisons by which all of our linemen are compared

D-Line - Greene, Smith, Keisel and while they've all played to the same script all 3 scripts are different but yet inter-changeable when it comes to talking about the future D-linemen

Linebacker - Lambert, Harrison, Woodley, as is with our D-line, there are multiple players by which we compare our linebackers. And Harrison is the most recent one we compare to those of the 70's. I believe that future LBs will be compared to Harrison.

DBs - Blount, Lake, Woodson, Polamalu. Think about it, even today we wonder who will replace Polamalu. When he retires, fans will wonder who will make us forget him.



You see, it doesn't matter the position, but when the Steelers find that iconic player that is the standard by which all others who play that position for the Steelers will be judged until they make us forget the last iconic player to play the position. Wallace has a standard by which fans want him to play out. And until he does, then the fans will argue that he is not worth the Fitzy/Megatron type contract.

stlrtruck wrote:

But I think this is what we, as Steelers fans, have come to expect. Chuck Noll wrote the book on Steelers football. He created the image that is now THE STEELERS. He erased years of misery and created a winning franchise. He wrote the script for coaches to follow after him, and thankfully the Steelers have had 2 successful coaches in succession after Noll. Now when it comes to players look at the players that have written scripts for positions:

QB - Terry Bradshaw, and not until Ben has anyone come close to writing over that script

RB - Jerome Bettis (I would have said Franco, but Jerome wrote over his script), and look what we expect from our RBs now

WR - Hines Ward (again Swann and Stallworth wrote the first script, but Hines eclipsed that standard), and now we want all of our WRs to play the way Hines played

O-Line - Webster, Dawson, the guy that went to the NY Jets, and even now those are the comparisons by which all of our linemen are compared

D-Line - Greene, Smith, Keisel and while they've all played to the same script all 3 scripts are different but yet inter-changeable when it comes to talking about the future D-linemen

Linebacker - Lambert, Harrison, Woodley, as is with our D-line, there are multiple players by which we compare our linebackers. And Harrison is the most recent one we compare to those of the 70's. I believe that future LBs will be compared to Harrison.

DBs - Blount, Lake, Woodson, Polamalu. Think about it, even today we wonder who will replace Polamalu. When he retires, fans will wonder who will make us forget him.



You see, it doesn't matter the position, but when the Steelers find that iconic player that is the standard by which all others who play that position for the Steelers will be judged until they make us forget the last iconic player to play the position. Wallace has a standard by which fans want him to play out. And until he does, then the fans will argue that he is not worth the Fitzy/Megatron type contract.

As fans, sometimes we get confused about what the Steelers way is. I remember when Tomlin became coach, a lot of fans were concerned that he would change the defense to a 4-3. The thinking was that we always ran a 3-4, and THAT was the Steelers way. But we didn't always run a 3-4 ... the Steel Curtain defense of the 70s was a 4-3. We just got so used to the 3-4 that we thought that was the way it should be. We've had a dominating 4-3 defense, and we've had a dominating 3-4 defense. The style doesn't matter, as long as it dominates.

The same goes for players. It doesn't matter what style they play, as long as they do it well. I don't expect Troy's replacement to play the same style. I don't expect him to be diving over the line to sack QBs. I don't expect him to be launching his body all over the field like a missile. I just expect him to be a solid safety and play his position well and help the team win. He doesn't have to play like Troy ... he just has to play well.

We've had defensive players who were downright mean ... Lambert and Lloyd for example. We've had trash talkers like Porter. And we've had guys who were quiet and subdued on the field ... Troy and Kirkland. There really isn't a "Steelers way." All those players were different in their approach to the game and how they handled themselves on the field. But they were all great at what they did. Success is the Steelers way.

So current and future receivers don't have to be the next Hines Ward. They just have to be great at what they do.

effyou515 wrote:

just wondering whats the gap between Wallace and the Steelers on Wallace's contract?

This is what is driving this debate if you ask me. The lack of reports. Are they even talking etc.

solardave wrote:

effyou515 wrote:

just wondering whats the gap between Wallace and the Steelers on Wallace's contract?

This is what is driving this debate if you ask me. The lack of reports. Are they even talking etc.

Good point, Dave. We're all debating with very little to go on. And that's fine. Like I said earlier ... if we don't know what's going on, that probably means things are going OK and neither side feels the need to get "their version of the truth" out in public. If we start seeing Wallace or Rooney making their case to the media, that's when it's time to panic.

Wallace108 wrote:

stlrtruck wrote:

But I think this is what we, as Steelers fans, have come to expect. Chuck Noll wrote the book on Steelers football. He created the image that is now THE STEELERS. He erased years of misery and created a winning franchise. He wrote the script for coaches to follow after him, and thankfully the Steelers have had 2 successful coaches in succession after Noll. Now when it comes to players look at the players that have written scripts for positions:

QB - Terry Bradshaw, and not until Ben has anyone come close to writing over that script

RB - Jerome Bettis (I would have said Franco, but Jerome wrote over his script), and look what we expect from our RBs now

WR - Hines Ward (again Swann and Stallworth wrote the first script, but Hines eclipsed that standard), and now we want all of our WRs to play the way Hines played

O-Line - Webster, Dawson, the guy that went to the NY Jets, and even now those are the comparisons by which all of our linemen are compared

D-Line - Greene, Smith, Keisel and while they've all played to the same script all 3 scripts are different but yet inter-changeable when it comes to talking about the future D-linemen

Linebacker - Lambert, Harrison, Woodley, as is with our D-line, there are multiple players by which we compare our linebackers. And Harrison is the most recent one we compare to those of the 70's. I believe that future LBs will be compared to Harrison.

DBs - Blount, Lake, Woodson, Polamalu. Think about it, even today we wonder who will replace Polamalu. When he retires, fans will wonder who will make us forget him.



You see, it doesn't matter the position, but when the Steelers find that iconic player that is the standard by which all others who play that position for the Steelers will be judged until they make us forget the last iconic player to play the position. Wallace has a standard by which fans want him to play out. And until he does, then the fans will argue that he is not worth the Fitzy/Megatron type contract.

As fans, sometimes we get confused about what the Steelers way is. I remember when Tomlin became coach, a lot of fans were concerned that he would change the defense to a 4-3. The thinking was that we always ran a 3-4, and THAT was the Steelers way. But we didn't always run a 3-4 ... the Steel Curtain defense of the 70s was a 4-3. We just got so used to the 3-4 that we thought that was the way it should be. We've had a dominating 4-3 defense, and we've had a dominating 3-4 defense. The style doesn't matter, as long as it dominates.

The same goes for players. It doesn't matter what style they play, as long as they do it well. I don't expect Troy's replacement to play the same style. I don't expect him to be diving over the line to sack QBs. I don't expect him to be launching his body all over the field like a missile. I just expect him to be a solid safety and play his position well and help the team win. He doesn't have to play like Troy ... he just has to play well.

We've had defensive players who were downright mean ... Lambert and Lloyd for example. We've had trash talkers like Porter. And we've had guys who were quiet and subdued on the field ... Troy and Kirkland. There really isn't a "Steelers way." All those players were different in their approach to the game and how they handled themselves on the field. But they were all great at what they did. Success is the Steelers way.

So current and future receivers don't have to be the next Hines Ward. They just have to be great at what they do.

Let me say this and I'm sure you'll agree. Maybe there is no particular Steeler way except to WIN SUPERBOWLS! Can we agree that in doing this we play tough smash mouth football? But like it or not our WRs have always (from Knoll to Cowher to Tomlin) been expected to block. We used to run to set up the pass but that has changed. Here is my question. If Wallace deserves a fat contract then why did no other team even make him an offer? Is it because they can't see his potential? It goes back to "rookies get paid for potential and veterans get paid for performance". Since no one offered him a deal what else can it be?

http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/July-2010/Wood-Be-Gentleman/

It's not that I "hate" Wallace (I leave that emotion for the Ravens), but his holdout is a little hard to take when I read how other players handled their contract:

Currently in the final year of his rookie contract, worth $550K this season, Woodley had every right to join in on the NFL’s hottest summer trend—holding out of training camp for a raise. The Tennessee Titans’ stud running back Chris Johnson did it. Even $100 million man Albert Haynesworth was a no-show at the Washington Redskins’ mini-camp because of hurt feelings over trade rumors.

But when the Steelers opened the doors of their South Side training facility for optional team workouts in May, there was Woodley, crushing tackling dummies in the pouring rain when he could have been at home relaxing on a “Dora the Explorer” marathon with his 2-year-old daughter, Gabrielle.

“If I miss workouts and training camp, I not only hurt myself, but I hurt the team,” he says. “I don’t want to fall behind because I’m worried about dollar signs.”

solardave wrote:

Let me say this and I'm sure you'll agree. Maybe there is no particular Steeler way except to WIN SUPERBOWLS! Can we agree that in doing this we play tough smash mouth football? But like it or not our WRs have always (from Knoll to Cowher to Tomlin) been expected to block. We used to run to set up the pass but that has changed. Here is my question. If Wallace deserves a fat contract then why did no other team even make him an offer? Is it because they can't see his potential? It goes back to "rookies get paid for potential and veterans get paid for performance". Since no one offered him a deal what else can it be?

There was a double whammy with Wallace. Not only did teams have to give him a lot of money, but they also had to give up a first-round pick. That made it unattractive for teams to go after him. This is just my opinion, but when it comes to him asking for Fitz money (which were still not sure even happened), I think it's one of two possibilities:

1. He was setting the bar high for the Steelers as a negotiation tactic, knowing they'd come back with a much lower offer and they could meet somewhere in the middle.

2. He wanted to remain a Steeler, but he knew other teams were interested in him. So he said hey, if someone wants to give me ridiculous money, I'd be a fool not to take it. So if anyone is interested in me, give me Fitz money and I'm yours.

Gingerchip wrote:

http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/July-2010/Wood-Be-Gentleman/

It's not that I "hate" Wallace (I leave that emotion for the Ravens), but his holdout is a little hard to take when I read how other players handled their contract:

Currently in the final year of his rookie contract, worth $550K this season, Woodley had every right to join in on the NFL’s hottest summer trend—holding out of training camp for a raise. The Tennessee Titans’ stud running back Chris Johnson did it. Even $100 million man Albert Haynesworth was a no-show at the Washington Redskins’ mini-camp because of hurt feelings over trade rumors.

But when the Steelers opened the doors of their South Side training facility for optional team workouts in May, there was Woodley, crushing tackling dummies in the pouring rain when he could have been at home relaxing on a “Dora the Explorer” marathon with his 2-year-old daughter, Gabrielle.

“If I miss workouts and training camp, I not only hurt myself, but I hurt the team,” he says. “I don’t want to fall behind because I’m worried about dollar signs.”

I understand where you're coming from, Ginger. And in a lot of ways, you're right. But I think what makes the Wallace situation different from most players is that the Steelers held ALL the cards. I don't recall a situation where the Steelers had so much control over a free agent. The only leverage Wallace had was to hold out. Whether we like it or not, the NFL is a business.