http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-be-paid-like-vincent-jackson-not-fitzgerald/ With the news that Mike Wallace wants to be paid more in line with his production, and the possibility the Steelers may now choose to move him, I think its worth a degree of consideration. The interesting thing to me is that Wallace can be successful- and a top producer in terms of yardage- without a lot of targets. He's had 93 and 113 targets the last two seasons, which aren't #1 receiver workloads. People stereotypically don't associate WCOs with vertical routes, but Philbin mentioned today that the biggest aspect of a WCO in the Dolphins offense is the idea of progressions. A guy like Mike Wallace can produce heavily without requiring huge concessions in terms of progression- unlike, say a Dwanye Bowe who will need to be your #1 and probably then some. I think Wallace NOT being a huge target hog is a big selling poin for this offense.
we have been talking about him already somewhere in here, for our 2nd 3rd rounder i would do it......
Depends on the picks it'd take. For a 2nd or less I'd say why not? We already paid Marshall's dumbass $10 million a year so is giving Wallace slightly more that big a deal? Not really, imo. I'd just like to see where his head is at in this whole thing. He's never struck me as an idiot or a diva, but I'd like to know what happened between he and Pit.
I honestly can't see any WR being too eager to be traded in to that mess they have over there. My money is on Indy.
@YahooNoise: Appears frontrunners for Wallace's services are Miami, Indy and Dallas. Have to wonder if Dallas is finding an insurance policy for Dez. Not that reliable, but something.
I know they say he's just a one route deep threat but we don't have that so we could use him, as long as he fits in Sherman's scheme
Read earlier today Wallace is looking for Vincent Jackson (5yr/55.555) money but he turned 5/50 from Pitt earlier this offseason if reports are to be believed. Pitt will get a 3rd round pick if they lose him so it would have to be a 2nd from someone to make them think about it or a 3+4 (something like that). I like the idea of wallace playing vertically and hartline/bess/johnson/rookies working underneath routes. Hes not as idiotic as Marshall and certainly doesnt have the baggage.
IMO Wallace fits the speedy, consistent WR that I think they like. Primarily the "consistent" part. IIRC Wallace is generally is one of the guys with the lower drop rates and is consistent in his routes. The speed angle just helps spread the D. I'm not sure that the salary is ideally what they want, but I do think he's talented.
A couple of points on Mike Wallace I posted elsewhere: 1. I don't think he was ever seeking Larry Fitzgerald (8 years, $120 million) or Calvin Johnson (8 years, $132 million) money. That report came from a Sacramento news report in the wake of the 49ers' flirtation with Wallace. In other words, the 49ers didn't like what Wallace was asking for and they leaked a story to their own local press to make it look like he's being unreasonable and that's why they're not bothering with him. 2. According to the PITTSBURGH Tribune Review, Wallace is asking for a contract that is in line with Vince Jackson's 5 year, $55.6 million deal. 3. There's also a persistent rumor/assumption that Mike Wallace is a "diva"...I think it's assumed primarily because of this holdout. This could be true. I don't know Mike Wallace and I've never had contact with him. However, I am good friends with a man that does know him better and he has no idea where all this "diva" stuff is coming from, says Mike is a very humble guy. 4. This is a money thing. Mike Wallace has been working off a 3rd round contract (extremely low wages) yet has produced 3,490 yards and 26 TDs of offense for the Steelers during his three years in the NFL. He outproduced that contract even as a rookie. By his second year he was blowing that contract out of the water, same in the third year. He already has been grossly underpaid for three years and now he's set to make $2.7 million as a Restricted Free Agent this season. Wanting to be paid FAIRLY is not a sign of being a diva. 5. A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer believes that the asking price to get a trade done could be as low as a 4th round pick because of the significant money hurdle. 6. There is reason to believe, based on his trade for Brandon Marshall, that Jeff Ireland might be up for an acquisition like this. He traded two 2nd round picks for Brandon Marshall at a time when he thought he had a QB-of-the-future who was under performing just because of a lack of weapons around him. The latter is the key. Ireland has essentially placed the last hope of his career on Ryan Tannehill and so he's going to be desperate to make sure he has the weapons he needs, WHEN it's time for Ryan to get in the games (which is arguably not this year). 7. Further, the idea that Joe Philbin is averse to wide receivers with too much talent is absurd. He instigated the Brandon Marshall trade because he didn't like Marshall's personality, not because of some weird allergic reaction to wide receiver talent. I have no doubt that one exit interview conversation with Karl Dorrell was enough to tell Philbin all he needed to know. The idea that Philbin doesn't want a #1 receiver is absurd. Or maybe it's accurate, because he doesn't want a #1 receiver, he wants as many damn #1 receivers as he can get his hands on. 8. It's hard to know how Joe Philbin feels about this as he was only the offensive coordinator at the time, but in Green Bay, when they stumble into receiver talent, they don't mind paying for it. Greg Jennings received a contract worth nearly $9 million a year way back in 2009. An equivalent contract today would probably be $11 million a year which is what Wallace is supposedly asking. 9. On the other hand, there IS reason to believe that Joe Philbin (and perhaps Mike Sherman as well?) would rather develop wide receiver (and QB?) talent within their own system rather than acquire an expensive player from some other team's system that you have to suddenly fit into your own system and re-teach how to do things. When people bring that up, that's a pretty fair point. 10. Another fair point would be that Mike Wallace is more of a straight up vertical guy and may not fit this style of WCO. I'm not sure I buy it, as I think Wallace has talent that plays anywhere, and also I'm not sure how different he is from a Greg Jennings as a for instance, but the point can be raised. Finally, Brad Evans of Yahoo Sports (who appears to just be a fantasy guy and not really an originator of news) fired off some tweet about the Dolphins, Colts and Cowboys being the front runners for Mike Wallace, which in my opinion was an amalgamation of Evan Silva's SPECULATION that the Dolphins and Colts make the most sense for Wallace, along with some other more reputable rumors that the Cowboys have been sniffing at Wallace. Brad Evans tells me that his report was sourced from local beat writers who are following the respective teams and believe their teams are interested...so he's not reporting anything "new", it's based on stuff we've already seen. I don't know whether it's related or not, but a twitter account named @MySportsLegion which seems like a bot that just re-tweets news, ended up saying that "Y! Sports reporting the Colts, Cowboys & Dolphins have had preliminary discussions with the Steelers about pro-bowl receiver Mike Wallace." I would say it's straight up a retweet from Brad Evans' tweet but it's weird how Evans' tweet got telephone-gamed into "preliminary discussions".
the money he wants is really not an issue with me , if its really only a 4th rounder or even a 3rd, jeff needs to do this
Evans and Silva are fantasy guru's more then actual news guys. Silva has some plug-ins from what ive read but hes no Schefter or anyone like that. Completely agree on all other points except that Pitt would accept a 4th when they will get a 3rd round comp pick next year. Wallace has been grossly underpaid by NFL standards for a couple of seasons now. What Pitt is doing to him would be the equivalent of us asking Cam Wake to play at 2.7M
I wonder how much of a factor Hartline's injury status plays here. They're really banking on him taking that next step. I think he can, based on his talent, but if the undisclosed injury (he refused to discuss it or provide a timeline for his return to 100%) lowers his chances of taking that next step, then acquiring a guy like Wallace would seem more likely. I'm curious to see if Pruitt continues to be as impressive in pads, too. Do they like him and other guys they're developing enough to pass on a guy like Wallace?
the thing is if you want mike wallace and the price tag as far as compensation is concerned is that low, i dont think it will take long for a team to push the button, so this has to happen fast imo, maybe a 3rd and clyde gates could do it
I don't think he's a full route tree guy but he's more than that. I think there's likely some serious mileage for him in this offense with deep comebacks and fades.
Finally, Brad Evans of Yahoo Sports (who appears to just be a fantasy guy and not really an originator of news) fired off some tweet about the Dolphins, Colts and Cowboys being the front runners for Mike Wallace, which in my opinion was an amalgamation of Evan Silva's SPECULATION that the Dolphins and Colts make the most sense for Wallace, along with some other more reputable rumors that the Cowboys have been sniffing at Wallace. Brad Evans tells me that his report was sourced from local beat writers who are following the respective teams and believe their teams are interested…so he's not reporting anything "new", it's based on stuff we've already seen.[/quote] Yes, Brad Evans is a Yahoo fantasy football writer. He is not an actual news reporter.
Wallace is perhaps the best deep threat in football. He could stand to add some muscle to become the "Greg Jennings" type...either way a young fast WR who IMO has not reached his ceiling?? 3rd Rd would be very worth it.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert told @Edwerderespn that "Mike Wallace is not available for trade." Sent from my Samsung Epic 4G using Tapatalk.
Well.... Time to look elsewhere, I wonder what an Andre Roberts would cost us? Another guy just scratching the surface IMO.
Wishful thinking and not about to happen , however a WR acquisition of some significance before game one is more likley imo. Dolphins are waiting/banking/hoping on a lot of guys that haven't done anything at this level or haven't for a while. Personally I am not pencilling in WR 1/2 for Hartline , be nice to not have to do that . I do think we see at least one of the lower tiered WR's have a really productive , noticeable year but if we don't realize deep speed from one of those players , we will see the adverse effects imo. If you are a WR for the Dolphins , you have a serious chance to stick even if you are 7/8 on the depth chart . I am very interested to see who separates themselves and then see it when the bullets fly.