Schefter on the Steelers' offseason issues

[polamalubeast]

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter addressed the two most talked about issues of the Steelers' offseason so far: the future of wide receiver Mike Wallace and the relationship between quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

In his mailbag, Schefter writes that the Steelers are vulnerable to losing Wallace and it's not by choice. Pittsburgh might be forced to put the first-round tender on Wallace instead of the franchise tag because it's $11 million over the salary cap. He named the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers as teams who might sign Wallace to an offer sheet.

"That team can load up that contract with a big roster bonus that would count against the Steelers' salary cap this season," Schefter writes. "If Wallace signs an offer sheet that contains a $20 million roster bonus, the Steelers are left with two choices: they can match the offer sheet, keep Wallace and then have to cut $20 million worth of players; or they can decline to match, lose Wallace and get that cap space along with a first-round pick."

read more

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/pos...fseason-issues

[Chidi29]

"That team can load up that contract with a big roster bonus that would count against the Steelers' salary cap this season," Schefter writes. "If Wallace signs an offer sheet that contains a $20 million roster bonus, the Steelers are left with two choices: they can match the offer sheet, keep Wallace and then have to cut $20 million worth of players; or they can decline to match, lose Wallace and get that cap space along with a first-round pick."

I know poison pills have been "eliminated" though I'm not sure how that's been done. Would this be considered a poison pill offer?

[polamalubeast]

I hope I am wrong, but I'm 95% sure that Wallace will leave the steelers(pats or 49ers)

[Chidi29]

I hope I am wrong, but I'm 95% sure that Wallace will leave the steelers(pats or 49ers)

Really don't see it happening. Very rarely do teams steal away players tendered at that high of a level.

[fansince'76]

Really don't see it happening. Very rarely do teams steal away players tendered at that high of a level.

Same here. That's the reason for the tender in the first place.

[Bluecoat96]

I don't see the Pats doing it. They would have to decide who to pay....Welker or Wallace. Draft picks are like gold to them.

[zulater]

I don't see the Pats doing it. They would have to decide who to pay....Welker or Wallace. Draft picks are like gold to them.

Don't they have an extra first round pick this year? And with the tender I believe you get that teams pick, so if the Patriots signed him we'd get the 31st pick. I could see the Patriots doing that. The only thing that may stop them is they already have Wes Welker coming up on his free agency, so I don't know if they would invest two huge contracts in receivers in one offseason.

[X-Terminator]

I hope I am wrong, but I'm 95% sure that Wallace will leave the steelers(pats or 49ers)

Doubtful, considering that both of those teams would have to dump a lot of salary and some pretty good players, plus a 1st round pick, if they sign him to the kind of contract Schefter mentioned. The Bengals are a possibility, but you have to remember who is in charge of that team. Mike Brown won't spend money to upgrade the Bungles' practice facility and wouldn't pay to fly his scouts to the combine in the past. What makes anyone think he'd all of a sudden give Wallace a $20 million roster bonus even if it hurts the Steelers? This situation is a concern, but it works both ways.

[zulater]

If Wallace does leave, good chance Ward and Cotcherty both come back. If he stays both may be gone.

[Chidi29]

Don't they have an extra first round pick this year? And with the tender I believe you get that teams pick, so if the Patriots signed him we'd get the 31st pick. I could see the Patriots doing that. The only thing that may stop them is they already have Wes Welker coming up on his free agency, so I don't know if they would invest two huge contracts in receivers in one offseason.

The Pats have a ton of early draft picks each year. When was the last time they used one to get a RFA?

[polamalubeast]

The reason I am not confident that the Steelers keep Wallace, is that the Steelers are really in trouble in the salary cap.

[Chidi29]

The reason I am not confident that the Steelers keep Wallace, is that the Steelers are really in trouble in the salary cap.

We can still tender him and be fine. It'll only be around $3.5 million to do so.

And like I said, very rarely do RFAs end up leaving.

[Steeldude]

Really don't see it happening. Very rarely do teams steal away players tendered at that high of a level.

The Patriots do have two 1st rounders this year.

[polamalubeast]

We can still tender him and be fine. It'll only be around $3.5 million to do so.

And like I said, very rarely do RFAs end up leaving.

The difference now is only a first round choice .....

[Chidi29]

The Patriots do have two 1st rounders this year.

They always have a ton of early round picks and to my knowledge, haven't put in an offer sheet on a player anytime recently.

[Chidi29]

By my very rough estimations, a Roethlisberger restructure can probably save around 5-6 million and a Harrison restrucutre cann save around 2-3. That'll put us to being over the cap by roughly 2-4 million which can be made up in cutting players (Hampton is the first obvious choice based on the 8 million owed though I'm still not positive how that can work out with the injury).

[polamalubeast]

To be honest, the next 3 weeks will be very long for me.

[BigNastyDefense]

I still don't think we lose Wallace.

Draft picks are like gold to the Patriots, and their trouble isn't their offense it's their defense. Hell, of Gronkowski was healthy the Pats would have probably won the Super Bowl, if not on that last Hail Mairy pass before that because Gronk would have been more of a weapon. Not to mention they are going to be resigning Welker, and he's going to get a nice contract. He did lead the league in receptions last season, had a bunch of yards, and is Tom Brady's favorite target.

The San Francisco 49ers...does he even fit their style of offense? And I know that receiver is a need, and I have them taking one in my mock draft at the moment...but a guy that's totally different from Wallace. The 49ers just don't seem like a team that's a deep throw team, so Wallace wouldn't really be that great of a fit.

The Bengals, I don't see them wanting to give the Steelers a first round draft pick. Yeah, they hurt the Steelers by taking Wallace...but then they resign Cotchery and he can be the #2 receiver to Brown or Sanders starts across from Brown. The Bengals already have a deep threat in A.J. Green, they need a guy who would play the role that T.J. Houzyermomma did when he was a Bengal. Not to mention that first round pick can be used to take DeCastro, the best guard in the draft (or trade up and take him) and then they could sit pat at #24 and take Dont'a Hightower who would be a beast in our defense.

The Baltimore Ravens have Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith. They are going to have to shell out some money this offseason to Joe Flacco and Ray Rice. They don't have the need for Wallace, and they might not have the cap room available after signing those two to add the type of contract it would take for Wallace to leave the Steelers for the Ravens. Matt Birk and Ben Grubbs are also free agents that they might want to keep.

Those are the four teams that Schefty says are the biggest threat to take Wallace? They would all be willing to give up a first round draft pick to do so. The Steelers also have the option of franchising Wallace which means we'd get two first rounders if a team really wanted him. Also, Wallace has to actually sign the offer from another team for it to mean anything. If he doesn't want to play for that team, then he won't sign it. Then, the tender isn't even worth the paper it was printed on. If he wants to stay a Steeler, he will be willing to work out a long-term deal that works for both the Steelers and himself.

[BigNastyDefense]

By my very rough estimations, a Roethlisberger restructure can probably save around 5-6 million and a Harrison restrucutre cann save around 2-3. That'll put us to being over the cap by roughly 2-4 million which can be made up in cutting players (Hampton is the first obvious choice based on the 8 million owed though I'm still not positive how that can work out with the injury).

Not to mention Aaron Smith is likely to retire (and if he doesn't I think he will be released) so he would be off the books. Kemoeatu is going to be cut, so he is off the books. With Starks' injury, he will probably be released, along with the possibility of Hampton being released too. Hoke retired, so he too is off of the books. If we were to draft Dont'a Hightower, then the Steelers would also be able to release either Foote or Farrior (if not both) which would be even more cap room.

We should be under the salary cap by more than enough to franchise Wallace if we needed to and then work out a long term deal to get that cap number to something more reasonable.

[polamalubeast]

Wallace discusses contract talks with Steelers


Restricted free agent Mike Wallace and the Steelers are working hard to get a deal done before the start of free agency, but the receiver admits that he very well could be with another team next year.

In an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio this afternoon, Wallace said that he would love to stay with the Steelers, but knows that might not be in the best interests of both parties involved.

"(Pittsburgh is) where I would like to be, but we all know that it is a business and you have certain things you have to handle," Wallace said. "So if I have to go elsewhere, you know Pittsburgh will always be in my heart, but I have to do what I have to do."

Wallace said that the Steelers and his agent, Bus Cook, have been in working on a contract extension.

"Yeah, we are talking, but I don`t know how far they are going to get right now because of the situation," Wallace said. "I know that they are working hard trying to take care of it, but I don`t know. We`ll see."


Read more: Wallace discusses contract talks with Steelers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...#ixzz1n8gHxUdf

[Steeltreal]

Money talks. He wont refuse to sign with anyone being only 25

[86WARD]

Wallace painted a very bleak picture for his return today on NFL Radio. He pretty much said with Arians leaving, a lot of questions have risen on the way he will be utilized in the future with the Steelers.

[fansince'76]

Here's a link to the audio interview on Sirius: Mike Wallace Interview

[Bluecoat96]

Don't they have an extra first round pick this year? And with the tender I believe you get that teams pick, so if the Patriots signed him we'd get the 31st pick. I could see the Patriots doing that. The only thing that may stop them is they already have Wes Welker coming up on his free agency, so I don't know if they would invest two huge contracts in receivers in one offseason.

That's the thing....with Welker being an UFA this year, they'll have to shell out a pretty penny for him. I can't see Wallace being in their plans if that's the case. They'll need to put some money into that defense as well.

[BlastFurnace]

I would rather the Steelers lose Wallace than bury themselves with a huge contract that would result in more players being released this year and in the future.

I hope they can keep him, but I'm not holding my breath. If they do lose him, Sanders absolutely MUST stay healthy next season.

How much space would be created if the Steelers released Hampton and Aaron Smith? That may be the answer right there.

[ALLD]

Wallace did not come across very well on Sirius with Shine baiting him on. To me he sounded like a punk with a mouth full of marbles and also lacked professionalism. His agent should have scripted him and been more diplomatic. Wallace should remember that the Steelers drafted him when nobody else would. Shine used him to blow up a story and Wallace does not seem very intelligent to fall into that trap. *Woodley did not fall for it.

[suitanim]

Actually, all these guys THINK this way, he just came out and said it. No, he wasn't the most diplomatic about it, but he was honest. Plus, him coming out and saying that he'd give anything to stay a Steeler actually becomes a bargaining chip for THEM not him.

[polamalubeast]

I'd be very surprised to see Wallace in 2012 with the steelers.

The Steelers will have only themselves to blame because the problem of salary cap.

I will be devastating.

[BigNastyDefense]

I'd be very surprised to see Wallace in 2012 with the steelers.

The Steelers will have only themselves to blame because the problem of salary cap.

I will be devastating.

I don't see how the Steelers only have themselves to blame, it's not the Steelers that lowered the salary cap down. It's not their fault that Wallace sounds like a guy that's going to take the highest dollar amount offered, even if it means signing with a perennial loser.

I thought that he would take a sensible deal to stay with the Steelers, but he came off on his Sirius interview like a guy who would like to return to Pittsburgh, but it's all about the money. I understand where he's coming from, but money can't buy happiness and if the Steelers go on to win multiple Super Bowls while he goes to another team and never plays in another one, in the end he will probably end up kicking himself.

[steeldevil]

I don't think the Steelers should franchise tag him, he is not worth top 5 WR money. Not close. Still too one dimensional.

Getting a 1st round pick for another team taking him is a pretty good deal for the Steelers. Allows to further shore up other positions or even draft another WR if thats how the cards fall.

Losing Wallace will not be devastating to the Steelers, in fact it may help more than hurt the team.

I'm not saying he is bad or anything, and one day he might could be a top 10/top 5 WR, but a lot of Steelers fans really overrate him. Antonio Brown is a better WR imo.