Pittsburgh Steelers WR Mike Wallaces deserves Larry Fitzgerald money

[Count Steeler]

Every year in the NFL there are a plethora of players who are unhappy with their contract situations. The unhappy players universally think that the NFL team currently employing them is not paying them a salary commensurate with their true value. Not every player who makes such a claim is correct, but when it comes to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace, he is absolutely correct.

Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers have offered Mike Wallace, currently a restricted free agent, a one-year tender offer that is reportedly worth $2.74 million. Wallace has yet to sign his one-year nor should he. For a player of Wallace's ability, a contract offer like that is insulting and reeks of the Pittsburgh Steelers exploiting the level of production he provides.

read more @ http://www.examiner.com/article/pittsburgh-steelers-wr-mike-wallaces-deserves-larry-fitzgerald-money

[fansince'76]

When Wallace can consistently take the ball away from DBs while being double and even triple-covered the way Fitz can, let me know...

[Shoes]

Who is David Barbour? Oh yes, a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and is now embarking upon a career in sports writing with an emphasis on statistics-based analysis. Go back to sleep David.....Larry Fitz money..... :chuckle:

[polamalubeast]

Wallace is not close of Fitzgerald

In fact, Calvin Johnson is the only WR who is at the level of Fitzgerald right now.

[polamalubeast]

When Wallace can consistently take the ball away from DBs while being double and even triple-covered the way Fitz can, let me know...



like that


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-leS7FpBGCA

[ALLD]

Barbour is one step away from totally blowing it and calling the Rooneys racists for not paying Wallace what he thinks he deserves.

[O'Malley]

Tired of hearing about a deva receiver.. Sign your tag and earn the long term deal.. The Steelers will pay what they think he's worth, after he earns it...

[steeldevil]

Who is David Barbour? Oh yes, a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and is now embarking upon a career in sports writing with an emphasis on statistics-based analysis. Go back to sleep David.....Larry Fitz money..... :chuckle:

Oh well thats his first problem... :heh:

[tube517]

Examiner is a step above Clorox Bleacher report. My buddy writes for them and gets very little money, if any. Just a hobby.

[GBMelBlount]

For a player of Wallace's ability, a contract offer like that is insulting and reeks of the Pittsburgh Steelers exploiting the level of production he provides.

read more @ http://www.examiner.com/article/pittsburgh-steelers-wr-mike-wallaces-deserves-larry-fitzgerald-money

Insulting, Reeks, Exploit? LOL.

It was nothing more than a great business decision by the steelers who are forced to do a lot of things with a limited budget.

Welcome to the real world...

[Edman]

Wake me when Mike Wallace doesn't drop a key third down pass or doesn't disappear in a big game or big moment.

He's a good player, but he still has a lot to learn and polish. He's a good deep threat, but that's about it.

[BigNastyDefense]

Wallace is a good receiver and an excellent deep threat...but he is NOWHERE CLOSE TO FITZGERALD!

If you're listing the top receivers in the game, the top of the list looks like this:

1a. Larry Fitzgerald
1b. Calvin Johnson
















2. Some other receiver.

[X-Terminator]

Tired of hearing about a deva receiver.. Sign your tag and earn the long term deal.. The Steelers will pay what they think he's worth, after he earns it...

Yeah, because Wallace has totally said he wants Fitz money...

Once again, the media (in this case a 2nd-rate hack from a 2nd-rate hack newspaper) has put words in his mouth that he has never...not ever...not once...has said. Like I've said before, when I actually hear those words come out of Wallace's mouth, then I'll get mad. Until then, I'm not believing one single solitary word coming from anyone in the media or his agent about demands he has never made. He will eventually sign his tender and they will work out a long-term deal. Holding out of a voluntary OTA isn't anything new, and there are several high-profile players around the league doing the same thing, including Ray Rice and Drew Brees (yes, I know both have accomplished more than Wallace, but they are still high-profile players in contract disputes with their teams).

[Mistah Q]

That article is absurd, but don't be too hard on the writer -- he probably isn't intimate with the nuances of any more than his one or two favourite teams, and did admit that he was basing his claim on statistics. Still, it shouldn't be anything that Steelers fans give a second thought... there are many reasons why Wallace shouldn't get anywhere close to that kind of money from us.

1) He simply isn't Larry Fitzgerald, and won't make the same kind of plays in traffic.
2) We would be perfectly fine with Brown and Sanders as our 1 and 2 receivers - It may even be preferable; Wallace has elite straight line speed but both of these guys may bring more to the table considering a total package... plus if we forget Wallace, we can lock both Brown and Sanders up long-term for much more reasonable value.
3) Haley is getting tight ends and runningbacks more involved in the passing game, and planning on using the mid-range passing game to open up the run - Rainey will bring some exciting possibilities into the mix.

Besides that, I would highly prefer to invest that kind of money in the trenches - the O-line and D-line. We've been through the pain of several bad O-line years. Never again. Spend your cap dollars on the O-line, it makes everyone on the team better and you don't need that $15mm/yr receiver. Sort of like... remember the days when the Broncos, it almost didn't matter who they had at RB?

[Moose]

When Wallace can consistently take the ball away from DBs while being double and even triple-covered the way Fitz can, let me know...

DITTO !!!

[86WARD]

Yeah, because Wallace has totally said he wants Fitz money...

Once again, the media (in this case a 2nd-rate hack from a 2nd-rate hack newspaper) has put words in his mouth that he has never...not ever...not once...has said. Like I've said before, when I actually hear those words come out of Wallace's mouth, then I'll get mad. Until then, I'm not believing one single solitary word coming from anyone in the media or his agent about demands he has never made. He will eventually sign his tender and they will work out a long-term deal. Holding out of a voluntary OTA isn't anything new, and there are several high-profile players around the league doing the same thing, including Ray Rice and Drew Brees (yes, I know both have accomplished more than Wallace, but they are still high-profile players in contract disputes with their teams).

We're on the same page word for word X on this topic...

[ALLD]

Isn't that a free newspaper you get at the grocery store?

[steeldawg]

I just dont understand how people can look at wallace and say he will never be on fitz's level? The production Wallace has put up up through his first three seasons is ahead of Fitz and Johnson. While i will say the skill sets are different between wallace and fitz the production is not and that is what the contract is based on. Wallace may not be the guy who is going to go up and catch passes between 2 defenders, but who cares if hes catching 80 balls 10 tds and 1200yds. Thats the point of the article, If wallaces contract is based on his production you have to look at where his production is at compared to other recievers in the league, and when you do that he is among all the top guys.

[Count Steeler]

My big question mark on Wallace was the second half of last season. Perhaps he was getting double teamed, perhaps he wasn't 100% healthy, but his production just fell off. Did other defenses figure out how to defend the deep pass?

[Count Steeler]

1st 8 games 800 yards
2nd 8 games 393 yards

Playoff, 26 yards

Not the kind of numbers you want in a contract year.

[ALLD]

Antonio Brown had a better season and he is almost as quick. Plus Wallace is no longer the fastest guy on the team.

[steeldawg]

Antonio Brown had a better season and he is almost as quick. Plus Wallace is no longer the fastest guy on the team. Antonio brown had less catches less yards less yds per catch and less tds, how was his season better?

[steeldawg]

My big question mark on Wallace was the second half of last season. Perhaps he was getting double teamed, perhaps he wasn't 100% healthy, but his production just fell off. Did other defenses figure out how to defend the deep pass?

But you dont base a guys contract on one half season of football, you base it on his total production of his career and his potential. Also teams did not figure out how to defend the deep ball, its the nfl and mike wallace is not the first deep threat the nfl has ever seen. Wallace had 72 catches, and averaged 16.6 yds per catch so this notion that all he does is catch deep balls is simply not true.

[X-Terminator]

I just dont understand how people can look at wallace and say he will never be on fitz's level? The production Wallace has put up up through his first three seasons is ahead of Fitz and Johnson. While i will say the skill sets are different between wallace and fitz the production is not and that is what the contract is based on. Wallace may not be the guy who is going to go up and catch passes between 2 defenders, but who cares if hes catching 80 balls 10 tds and 1200yds. Thats the point of the article, If wallaces contract is based on his production you have to look at where his production is at compared to other recievers in the league, and when you do that he is among all the top guys.

I think people are arguing that he has to do it for as long as Fitz has done it in order to command that kind of contract. I can't really argue that. He's not quite on the level of Fitz and Megatron, but I won't say he never will be. The problem is that if he does get to that level, he's as good as gone, because the Steelers simply will not spend $120 million on a WR, no matter who he is.

[steeldawg]

I think people are arguing that he has to do it for as long as Fitz has done it in order to command that kind of contract. I can't really argue that. He's not quite on the level of Fitz and Megatron, but I won't say he never will be. The problem is that if he does get to that level, he's as good as gone, because the Steelers simply will not spend $120 million on a WR, no matter who he is.

I undesrtand that what im arguing is people saying hes not fitz and will never be on that level. You have to figure this is wallaces one big chance for a big long term deal, hes 26, this is the point where he has to go for the big deal, and hes basing his future on his production vs fitz production which he has been slightly better so its hard to argue that hes not worth that money.

[X-Terminator]

I also think his production slipped more because of Ben's injury than teams figuring out how to stop him. If Ben doesn't get hurt, he probably has a decent shot at a 1400+ yard season.

[Count Steeler]

I undesrtand that what im arguing is people saying hes not fitz and will never be on that level. You have to figure this is wallaces one big chance for a big long term deal, hes 26, this is the point where he has to go for the big deal, and hes basing his future on his production vs fitz production which he has been slightly better so its hard to argue that hes not worth that money.

Greater football minds than ours passed on him in RFA. I think some teams would trade a 1st pick for Fitz. NOBODY wanted to trade a first for Wallace. There is your true measure of market value. Fitz is distinguished. Megatron is distinguished. Wallace is still perceived to be a one trick pony and his disappearance in the second half of the season is very significant.

[polamalubeast]

So if we only judge the players on stats, Tony Romo deserves a 100 million contract?!


Wallace has never dominated like Fitzgerald or Calvin Johnson can do


Fitzgerald playoffs in 2008 are maybe the best ever for a WR.


And Calvin Johnson has the potential to become one of the most dominant players in NFL history.In 2011, it was the first year than he played with a very good QB and Calvin had 1650 yards and he also had 200 yards against the Saints in the playoffs

[steeldawg]

Greater football minds than ours passed on him in RFA. I think some teams would trade a 1st pick for Fitz. NOBODY wanted to trade a first for Wallace. There is your true measure of market value. Fitz is distinguished. Megatron is distinguished. Wallace is still perceived to be a one trick pony and his disappearance in the second half of the season is very significant.


Why would they offer a first round pick when hes going to be a URFA next season.

[Count Steeler]

Why would they offer a first round pick when hes going to be a URFA next season.

Because you are claiming him to be better than the best WR in the game, (Fitz). Why not make a run at Wallace and force the Steeler's hand. A shrewd GM could have snatched him at 8-10mil per year and given up a first rounder. He would get immediate help for his offense. The Steelers never would have matched that kind of offer. But you claim he is $15mil/year worthy. You ask me, that is a steal for the "best" receiver in football.

Why wait another year, when so many things could happen? Injuries, long term contract with the Steelers, etc.

And, waiting a year still will cost you a third pick.

[zulater]

Wallace is not close of Fitzgerald

In fact, Calvin Johnson is the only WR who is at the level of Fitzgerald right now.


Andre Johnson if healthy too.

[zulater]

I also think his production slipped more because of Ben's injury than teams figuring out how to stop him. If Ben doesn't get hurt, he probably has a decent shot at a 1400+ yard season.

I agree.

[steelreserve]

Every year in the NFL there are a plethora of players who are unhappy with their contract situations. The unhappy players universally think that the NFL team currently employing them is not paying them a salary commensurate with their true value. Not every player who makes such a claim is correct, but when it comes to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace, he is absolutely correct.

Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers have offered Mike Wallace, currently a restricted free agent, a one-year tender offer that is reportedly worth $2.74 million. Wallace has yet to sign his one-year nor should he. For a player of Wallace's ability, a contract offer like that is insulting and reeks of the Pittsburgh Steelers exploiting the level of production he provides.

read more @ http://www.examiner.com/article/pittsburgh-steelers-wr-mike-wallaces-deserves-larry-fitzgerald-money

crack is a terrible drug.

[O'Malley]

Yeah, because Wallace has totally said he wants Fitz money...

Once again, the media (in this case a 2nd-rate hack from a 2nd-rate hack newspaper) has put words in his mouth that he has never...not ever...not once...has said. Like I've said before, when I actually hear those words come out of Wallace's mouth, then I'll get mad. Until then, I'm not believing one single solitary word coming from anyone in the media or his agent about demands he has never made. He will eventually sign his tender and they will work out a long-term deal. Holding out of a voluntary OTA isn't anything new, and there are several high-profile players around the league doing the same thing, including Ray Rice and Drew Brees (yes, I know both have accomplished more than Wallace, but they are still high-profile players in contract disputes with their teams).

What I'm saying is he should bite the bullet.. Sign the tag, and actually earn a big time contract by making big time plays.. Tired of players holding out..

[X-Terminator]

What I'm saying is he should bite the bullet.. Sign the tag, and actually earn a big time contract by making big time plays.. Tired of players holding out..

Don't think he has much choice in the matter. Skipping the OTA is the only "power play" he has, but ultimately doesn't mean much, because he's still going to have to play to get paid. The Steelers still hold all of the cards here.

[steeldawg]

Because you are claiming him to be better than the best WR in the game, (Fitz). Why not make a run at Wallace and force the Steeler's hand. A shrewd GM could have snatched him at 8-10mil per year and given up a first rounder. He would get immediate help for his offense. The Steelers never would have matched that kind of offer. But you claim he is $15mil/year worthy. You ask me, that is a steal for the "best" receiver in football.

Why wait another year, when so many things could happen? Injuries, long term contract with the Steelers, etc.

And, waiting a year still will cost you a third pick.

I never said he was better than fitz, I only said his production during his first 3 years is ahead of were fitz's was. And no one was was taking him for 8-10 mil a year because the steelers had the option to match any offer so they would of match that for sure or just used the franchise tag.


.

[Count Steeler]

I never said he was better than fitz, I only said his production during his first 3 years is ahead of were fitz's was. And no one was was taking him for 8-10 mil a year because the steelers had the option to match any offer so they would of match that for sure or just used the franchise tag.
.

Not so sure the Steelers would have matched that offer. The point is, no one even tried.

If it is the production numbers you are basing your assessment on, then you are missing what ever else the GMs are looking at. Again, if Fitz was available for $8-10mil/yr and you would only have to give up 1 first round pick, I think several teams would be interested. Here we have a receiver with better than Fitz production numbers and not 1 sniff of an offer.

If you remember the early days of UFA this year, the WRs were a hot commodity. Again, not 1 offer for someone with better production numbers than Fitz. Obviously, there is more to this equation.

[BigNastyDefense]

Don't think he has much choice in the matter. Skipping the OTA is the only "power play" he has, but ultimately doesn't mean much, because he's still going to have to play to get paid. The Steelers still hold all of the cards here.

Exactly.

He can't hold out all season. Eventually he's going to have to either (a) take what the Steelers are offering on a long-term deal, or (b) sign his RFA tender and play this season and hit the open market as a UFA next offseason.

If he holds out into the season and misses a certain number of games (I forget the exact number), even if after that he signs the tender and starts each game after that, he doesn't get an accrued season and would be an RFA once again.

[fansince'76]

I never said he was better than fitz, I only said his production during his first 3 years is ahead of were fitz's was.

Well, considering the Cards had the likes of Josh McCown, Matt Leinart and a banged up Kurt Warner throwing to Fitz during his first three years in the league while Wallace had Roethlisberger kinda puts things in perspective.

[Devilsdancefloor]

Antonio brown had less catches less yards less yds per catch and less tds, how was his season better?

brown was consistent game in and game out. plus he will fight for the ball and come back to ben to make himself a target. i have seen wallace do it but few and far between.

[Galax Steeler]

:bs:

[LLT]

I just dont understand how people can look at wallace and say he will never be on fitz's level? The production Wallace has put up up through his first three seasons is ahead of Fitz and Johnson. While i will say the skill sets are different between wallace and fitz the production is not and that is what the contract is based on. Wallace may not be the guy who is going to go up and catch passes between 2 defenders, but who cares if hes catching 80 balls 10 tds and 1200yds. Thats the point of the article, If wallaces contract is based on his production you have to look at where his production is at compared to other recievers in the league, and when you do that he is among all the top guys.


If we were going solely on stats...Then:

1) Ryan Clark is our best defensive player since he had the most tackles.

2) Daniel Sepulveda should be brought back as our QB since he had the best QB rating on the team last year.

3) Mike Wallace should be our starting RB since he averaged the most yards rushing.

Heck...Among wideouts still playing the game, Wallace's 3,206 receiving yards are the second-most accrued in a players first three seasons..... behind Anquan Boldin.



Uh.....Boldin doesn't get "Fitzgerald money".


What the writer fails to take into consideration...and what everyone else in the universe DOES realize.... is that stats dont tell the whole story. The Steelers had the #1 ranked passing defense in the league last year but every black and gold fan watching week to week was TERRIFIED of teams that could line up 4 or 5 wide and make us play man to man on their recievers.

We all knew that we didnt have "THAT" kind of defensive secondary.

Wallace is exceptional...but he isnt "THAT" kind of player.

[O'Malley]

Don't think he has much choice in the matter. Skipping the OTA is the only "power play" he has, but ultimately doesn't mean much, because he's still going to have to play to get paid. The Steelers still hold all of the cards here.

Agreed!!

[tube517]

Well, considering the Cards had the likes of Josh McCown, Matt Leinart and a banged up Kurt Warner throwing to Fitz during his first three years in the league while Wallace had Roethlisberger kinda puts things in perspective.

Josh McClown and Matt Lionheart are #2 and #3 in the TOP 3 ELITE QBs. Please. :chuckle:

[ALLD]

Wallace will sign the current because he must or risk losing over $2 million. Nobody is that dumb to walk away from that kind of money out of spite. If he has a good year this season then the Steelers offer him more or FT him. It is all up to him to prove his worth instead of getting a big contract based on sports page headlines and other premature media hype much like what is shoveled out before every draft about rookie QBs.

[JayC]

if he took desean jackson money or at most 10 mil more (what he is basically worth) i'd take him back in a heartbeat but it sure feels like he wants a 100 million deal. he can F off or go to oakland next offseason.

those 300 or so yards the last 8 games for 100 million is plain crazy. if he showed up all year maybe, but he didn't.

ben won 2 superbowls without him, it's not like he is the key to the steelers winning it all anyways.

basically if he wants that kind of money, the sooner he's gone the better. he's holmes 2.0. he doesn't bleed black and gold, he just bleeds gold.

[LLT]

if he took desean jackson money or at most 10 mil more (what he is basically worth) i'd take him back in a heartbeat but it sure feels like he wants a 100 million deal. he can F off or go to oakland next offseason.

those 300 or so yards the last 8 games for 100 million is plain crazy. if he showed up all year maybe, but he didn't.

ben won 2 superbowls without him, it's not like he is the key to the steelers winning it all anyways.

basically if he wants that kind of money, the sooner he's gone the better. he's holmes 2.0. he doesn't bleed black and gold, he just bleeds gold.

I think its easy to listen to the media and start attributing all the negativity that they are stirring up as coming from Wallace himself. Ed Bouchette did a great job of putting this all back into perspective a while ago in one of his articles....good reminder that this isnt a hateful player or a cheap franchise...this is simple "business".


Mike Wallace is doing nothing wrong. He’s merely following a system, just as the Steelers have with him and with others. Wallace does not have a contract; he has an offer. He obviously does not want the one-year offer and prefers a mutliple-year deal. The Steelers are on record saying they would like that as well.
The problem, as it usually is in these cases, is what the Steelers are willing to pay and what Wallace is willing to accept obviously are not the same number. Until it is, Wallace will have no contract until/if he signs the one-year tender.
There is little doubt he will sign that if he and the team do not come to terms on a longer deal – and I have long suggested they will not.
Under terms of the CBA, Wallace does not have to sign it. But the measures get tough for him if he does not – in the worst-case scenario, he sits out the season and does not accrue a season toward free agency and becomes an RFA again next year.
That won’t happen, and I would expect Wallace will report to the team sometime between the start of training camp and the start of the regular season.
The team cannot fine him or discipline him in any way for not attending the OTAs or even the minicamp that is required of those under contract. They can pull the tender if it’s not signed by June 15 and replace it with one worth $577,000. I’m told they won’t do that, at least not then.
Again, Wallace is doing nothing wrong. It’s not as if he has a contract and is not living up to its terms. It’s no different than the Steelers cutting all those veterans this year even though they all had time left on their contracts; in Hines Ward’s case he had two years left.
Since the contracts were not guaranteed, the Steelers were free to release the players under contract without owing them a dime. They would do the same thing to Wallace in a heartbeat if he manages to still be here in his mid-30s and no longer performing to their satisfaction.
So, get what you can, Mike. Skip OTAs, where other players like Limas Sweed have shown you actually CAN get seriously hurt. At some point, you’ll probably have to acquiesce, take that one-year tender and become an unrestricted free agent next year.
http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/116453-ed-like-the-steelers-wallace-merely-using-the-system

[Steeldude]

When Wallace can consistently take the ball away from DBs while being double and even triple-covered the way Fitz can, let me know...

Bingo

[60_MINUTES]

Yeah, because Wallace has totally said he wants Fitz money...

Once again, the media (in this case a 2nd-rate hack from a 2nd-rate hack newspaper) has put words in his mouth that he has never...not ever...not once...has said. Like I've said before, when I actually hear those words come out of Wallace's mouth, then I'll get mad. Until then, I'm not believing one single solitary word coming from anyone in the media or his agent about demands he has never made. He will eventually sign his tender and they will work out a long-term deal. Holding out of a voluntary OTA isn't anything new, and there are several high-profile players around the league doing the same thing, including Ray Rice and Drew Brees (yes, I know both have accomplished more than Wallace, but they are still high-profile players in contract disputes with their teams).


No one at all including teams like the rams who had two first round picks offered anything for Fitzgerald or made a play towards him... I would say Wallace is asking to much at this time