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Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Wallace is considered by many to be the top receiver in free agency.
In an interview on Sirius XM NFL Radio with Adam Schein and Rich Gannon, Pittsburgh Steelers’ free agent Mike Wallace sounded like a star free agent wide receiver set to test the open market. When asked about the possibility of signing with the San Francisco 49ers or the New England Patriots, Wallace did not shoot down the idea of joining another contender:
“Most definitely. Those are two playoff caliber, Super Bowl caliber teams. All those teams need are that one more piece of the puzzle to put them over the top…I wouldn’t want to go anywhere and leave the situation I’m at, with a great quarterback and a great organization, and go someplace where I don’t feel I can compete (for a championship)”
Schein went on to ask Wallace what his priorities in terms of money, winning, and quarterback/coaching were in free agency, prefacing the question by stating that he understood Wallace would obviously want to be paid:
“I definitely want to get my money; I’m not someone who goes around and says anything about it. I feel like I have done my part for my team, and for the last couple years been at the top of my position. I (also) have to win; you don’t want to leave a team like the Steelers and not win. I don’t want to go to a team and just win two games. A quarterback…I don’t care how good you are, you aren’t going to be good if you don’t have a good quarterback.”
Gannon then asked Wallace about the play of Steelers’ quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, and whether or not Roethlisberger could continue to take the type of hits he has been taking. Wallace said he didn’t see anything wrong with Roethlisberger’s play and whatever happens when he is trying to make a play, you just have to “go with it.”
It is widely speculated the Steelers will be unable to clear the cap space needed to sign the forecasted at least $8M a year needed to retain Wallace. The Steelers have been busy renegotiating several contracts already this off-season, but still remain over the projected $124M NFL salary cap. They would recoup a first round draft pick from any team who signs the restricted free agent receiver, and this may have been the organization’s plan all along. Wallace, a 2009 third round draft pick by Pittsburgh, led the Steelers in receiving in 2010 and 2011 and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2011.
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I DONT THINK WALLACE HAD AS GREAT A YEAR AS IS BEING TOUTED. THE FIRST SIX GAMES MAYBE BUT AFTER THAT HE DROPPED LOTS OF EASY CATCHES. HE ALSO DOES,NOT DIVE OR GO OUT OF HIS WAY FOR IMPORTANT CATCHES. I THINK HE IS STUCK ON HIMSELF AND RESENTS BROWN’S SUCCESS.I ALSO THINK HE WILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH DOUBLE COVERGE. ADRAFT CHOICE WOULD BE FINE,WE DONT NEED AN OWENS ON THE STEELERS.
Do you really think he’s stuck on himself? And what exactly leads you to believe he’s jealous of Brown’s success? And you think he will have problems with double coverage? Really? With Miller, Brown, A healthy Sanders? You throw a lot out there, but you either don’t back it up with “why” and you assume or just say things. I think you’re really off base, but whatever.
You couldn’t be more wrong. Reports have surfaced that Bruce Arians didn’t want Wallace to become a multi-million dollar receiver and actually ran plays for Antonio Brown. I don’t recall him dropping any passes, and when his targets went down due to Arians, you can’t blame him there. I love that Brown surfaced, but a tough second half of a season for various reasons (including Big Ben being hurt) should NOT negate how great Wallace has been overall in his career as a Steeler.
Exactly this. Except for the Arians part. Too much conspiracy theory stuff that can’t ever be proven.
I have inside information, can’t say from who, that some of this Arians stuff is true. Let’s just say it came from the horse’s mouth, and looking at how Wallace’s production drastically declined…I have no reason to believe Arians isn’t at least a little bit to blame here. But yeah, Wallace is a beast and hasn’t even scratched the surface of what he’s capable of. Any Steeler “fan” who think otherwise is clueless about the team. It amazes me that people say they’d let Wallace walk for a rookie lineman or some new receiver…boggles my mind how clueless some people are!
He did drop a 52-yard pass in the Denver game, but I would take my chances and let him go so we can draft better offensive linemen to protect Ben and draft some defensive linemen to replace the aging players.
Good. I hope he goes to either of them. He is coward and is deathly afraid of going over the middle. I’ll take a first rounder for him right now. We have good receivers and can get another one in the 3rd. to 5th. round. Pittsburgh does not like prima donnas and he is the ultimate. Afraid to take hits and goes down EASILY!!! GTFO!!!
Wallace choked in the Superbowl. Ben threw to him and he was AWOL on the plays that mattered down the stretch. Santonio Holmes, on the other hand, absolutely took over the Superbowl, and got an MVP award for his efforts. Holmes > Wallace in every way that matters.
I don’t trust Wallace in big games, simply put. Brown is a playmaker. He’s a keeper.
Maybe just once (since Burress) the Steelers will draft that big tall WR that Roethlisberger begs for every season, so he can play a little jump ball in the red zone.
If it were me, I’d be listening to Ben.
I’d take Wallace over Santonio, two VERY different WR’s. Holmes translates more to Brown, not Wallace, and we have Brown, with his good attitude and clean record. Holmes is a cancer who is solely focused on himself. He’s a wreck. See the end of this season. What a joke of a “team mate.”
As for Wallace being a 49er or Patriot (or any other color, for that matter), you teams keep on dreaming. He stays with the Steelers, because we’re working to clear space for him. Roethlisberger just restructured, saving the Steelers $8 million in cap space THIS SEASON alone….that says a little about where the team, and where Wallace ultimately, are going.
Keep dreaming, loser teams of the NFL who desperately could use him…he stays in Black and Gold.