Loading ...This Tuesday, when the Pittsburgh Steelers open their OTA sessions, it will be the players who are not there maybe more than those who are there, that will make headlines. For starters, they will be without their top two picks from the NFL Draft, guard David DeCastro and left tackle Mike Adams. These two projected starters will have to miss the workouts because both Stanford and Ohio State operate on the quarter’s system and NFL rules prevent them from participating in workouts until final exams are over with in June.
While the Steelers can understand the absence of both DeCastro and Adams, unfortunately they are not the only projected starters who will be absent come Tuesday. Wide receiver Mike Wallace will not be attending either. At this point, the Pro Bowl receiver, who is currently entangled in a contract dispute with the Steelers, plans to miss OTA’s and most likely the mandatory mini-camp from June 12-14, unless he is signed to a long-term contract.
Adam Scheftler of ESPN reports that he (Wallace) will not sign his first-round RFA tender until he absolutely has to; which could be as late as November 13 to get credit for the 2012 season. He also reported that it might be a while before the Steelers see Wallace at the team facility, something that will not endear himself to the Steelers faithful.
For fans, this should not come as a shock, as Wallace, was never happy that he had received the first-round restricted free agent tender from the Steelers. If and when he signs it he will then be looking at a guaranteed base salary of 2.742 million for the coming 2012-2013 football season, unless the Steelers reduce that number to the minimum when that window opens on June 15.
The 25-year old Wallace, who averages 66.8 yards per game and has 24 touchdowns in his three-year career, is looking to get a long-term deal that will pay him like a top NFL receiver. There is no doubt that Wallace has played well for the Steelers, but the Steelers have never been known as the type of team to pay big money to a wide receiver and they most likely will not overpay for Wallace.
If Wallace does sign the tender than next year will be even more of an interesting situation as both Wallace and Antonio Brown (restricted) will be free agents and looking for top dollar and the team will have to decide which receiver to keep. Stay tuned to this situation, as we will be covering it throughout.
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I think Wallace is walking a slippery slope with this one… The Steelers usually offer market value to the players they want, and will not overpay. He should realize that, especially after the way his production dropped off last season.