Turry 755 Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) According to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora, there is "real concern" in the Steelers' front office that they may lose restricted free agent Mike Wallace.The Steelers are in a tough spot because they're so tight up against the salary cap. They'll place a first-round tender on Wallace, but a franchise tag isn't financially doable, and the tender would leave Pittsburgh vulnerable to teams willing to surrender a first-round pick. La Canfora mentioned the division-rival Ravens and Patriots as teams potentially interested in Wallace. Baltimore drafts at No. 29, and New England has two first-round picks. Related: Ravens, Patriots Edited April 23, 2012 by Favre4Ever Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted February 21, 2012 I'd give up a late first for Wallace. Heck anything outside the top 10 would go for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Turry 755 Posted February 21, 2012 I'd give up a late first for Wallace. Heck anything outside the top 10 would go for me. I would as well if I'm New England I'm definitely thinking about giving up one first for the best deep threat in the league. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted February 21, 2012 If I'm Baltimore I'm absolutely going after Wallace. 29th overall is a great price to pay for the deep threat the Ravens need, and you would be taking him away from a divisional rival to boot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted February 21, 2012 29th overall pick for a young and exceptionally talented WR? No guess work involved like there is with drafting a WR at the same spot? If I'm Baltimore, that tender isn't stopping me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted February 21, 2012 I still think Colbert can free up more salary to sign him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 442 Posted February 21, 2012 They can't afford to lose Wallace. I think they'll drop some more people before they let him walk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted February 21, 2012 Wallace isn't going anywhere...The same shit was said about Woodley last year and he got signed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Turry 755 Posted February 21, 2012 According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers are willing to let restricted free agent Mike Wallace test the open market.The Steelers will reportedly place a first-round restricted tender on Wallace and "see what develops." If he "signs a contract and they deem it too high," they will apparently take the first-round compensation instead of matching. Once unthinkable, it's now very possible the Steelers will let their 25-year-old No. 1 receiver walk instead of digging themselves into an even deeper salary-cap hole. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CribbsForTheWin 117 Posted February 21, 2012 How would it work if say the Browns sign him. Would they have to trade their own pick or could they ship 22 from ATL? I'm not real sure how the rules work there, or if it is the Steelers discretion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CribbsForTheWin 117 Posted February 22, 2012 ^ Nevermind the Browns would lose their own pick. I guess I now doubt we make a run at Mike Wallace. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted February 22, 2012 ^ Nevermind the Browns would lose their own pick. I guess I now doubt we make a run at Mike Wallace. So, if teams have to surrender their original pick, does that mean New England could snag Wallace for the 31st overall pick? (They have New Orleans' as well.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Turry 755 Posted February 22, 2012 So, if teams have to surrender their original pick, does that mean New England could snag Wallace for the 31st overall pick? (They have New Orleans' as well.) Yep and then they would keep the 26 th pick or whatever they have. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted February 22, 2012 31 is practically a 2nd rounder. GO NEW ENGLAND GO. Although, I am not so sure that is Hoodies style. He'll probably sign a less appreciated guy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Turry 755 Posted February 22, 2012 BUT THE PATRIOTS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PICKS OR CAP ROOM TO GET WALLACE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted February 22, 2012 31 is practically a 2nd rounder. GO NEW ENGLAND GO. Although, I am not so sure that is Hoodies style. He'll probably sign a less appreciated guy. I dunno. If Wallace were a diva or a one-year wonder I think the Hoodie might think twice, but he isn't either of those. He's been consistently both productive and improving. Trade pick #31 and the offense is essentially ready to roll, and he can spend the rest of his 25 draft picks on defense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted February 22, 2012 Mike Wallace said contract talks are ongoing with the Steelers, but the wide receiver acknowledged that he might not be playing in Pittsburgh this season. "[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 told Sirius NFL Radio, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "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." http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/42791/wallace-acknowledges-he-might-leave Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted February 23, 2012 Ben Roethlisberger restructures. He cleared over $8M in 2012 cap space. Here are the moves to this point: restructures-Ben-$8M, Woodley-$6.56M, Timmons-$5.14M, Ike-$3.283M, Colon-$2.85M, and released McFadden-$2.5M and Battle-$1.037M. Total: $29.37M off the 2012 salary cap. If they were $25M over, they are now $4.37M under. They can cut Hines and Aaron Smith to open another $5.5M, placing them under enough to FRANCHISE Wallace. They can still restructure more contracts. If they open more than they need, per the new rules, they can roll space forward. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted February 23, 2012 Man. Talk about desperate measures. So many restructures, too. Steelers could be digging themself in a hole financially for the forseeable future by taking that 25 million and spreading it out over the next couple of years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted February 23, 2012 Man. Talk about desperate measures. So many restructures, too. Steelers could be digging themself in a hole financially for the forseeable future by taking that 25 million and spreading it out over the next couple of years. Restructuring doesn't mean that they're digging themselves in a hole at all. Quite the contrary, in fact. Restructuring takes backloaded contracts and turns them into bonuses that the player receives right now rather than later and removes it from the cap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted February 23, 2012 Restructuring doesn't mean that they're digging themselves in a hole at all. Quite the contrary, in fact. Restructuring takes backloaded contracts and turns them into bonuses that the player receives right now rather than later and removes it from the cap. How does taking money of the back end of contracts and giving it the player RIGHT NOW get you under the cap this season? There is no logic there. To get under the cap, you take money off of a guys contract 3 years in the future and pay it to him right now? More than likely you are taking large base salaries, converting them to bonuses, and spreading them out over the next 2-3 seasons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted February 24, 2012 I'm not saying that they're taking it off of the end of the contract... Ben's contract was backloaded and he would have counted $8 million toward the cap this season. The "later" I was talking about was the checks he would have gotten throughout the season. You're right that the money gets spread out over time later ($2.25 million/year). However, Ben has restructured two years in a row. Any "hole" they dig can easily be gotten out of next season by restructuring further and releasing veteran players like Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, James Farrior, and Larry Foote, whose contracts take up nearly $25 million in cap space. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBen07 285 Posted February 25, 2012 Ben's restructuring of his contract is but a small step to keeping most of the team in place. At least he's showing that he wants to win more titles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Turry 755 Posted February 29, 2012 Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com insists no team will successfully sign restricted free agent Mike Wallace away from the Steelers.The Steelers have made it clear through their words, if not their actions, that Wallace is going nowhere. Even if an interested team decides to forfeit their first-round pick, nearly $10 million for 2012, and a pricey long-term deal, the Steelers can free up more cap room to match the offer. "So all you would be doing is their negotiating," explains Prisco. Source: CBSSports.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted February 29, 2012 Zack and I told y'all. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
