Shefty on Wallace

You could have made that same exact statement about Maurkice Pouncey after his rookie season. At this point Sanders has played about the same amount of games. Probably more.

When he HAS played, he HAS proven himself. What's unproven? The health of his feet? The guy's a stud. He hasn't played anything but well. Injuries are the only negative to date. If you're not convinced he can stay healthy, that's one thing. If you're not convinced he's a good receiver and could be great, watch him some more.

 

So what happens to Wallace's contract if no one gives up the 1st round pick and signs him?

I guess I am asking what contract does he get? Does he have to accept what we offer him or hold out for a better contract? If we were able to offer him a contract we would have already done it so I just do not understand how we sign him if no one offers him a contract and gives us a pick when we were not able to do that before...

 

If no one steals him, then he either signs a long-term contract with us, or plays his remaining year for $2.7 million. Would have been less (not sure what his salary would have been, but less), but we tendered him. Small price to pay to keep other teams off of him (and give insurance if they take him anyway).

Obviously we save money in 2012 if he just plays for the tender. But if he does that instead of signing long-term, he's UFA next year and on a plane to Washington or Oakland, or someone else who will overpay. If we do sign him long-term this year, we spend more now, but get to keep him. We also would save more in the long run, because we have way more leverage now than we will next year, when it won't matter what we offer him because he'll have 31 other places to try. He'll want as much money as possible, and knows he'll get more if he waits a year... but then risks injury and losing it all. Safe bet is to sign now for a little less.

 

we can still tag him if we want next year

 

The fact that Bill Belichek, who is a phenomenal judge of talent and loves to let Brady throw deep, signed Anthony Gonzalez, Dante Stallworth and Brandon Lloyd rather than give up the 30th overall pick for Mike Wallace says a lot. Mike Wallace is absolutely a one trick pony. No, he doesn't have the physical skills of Calvin, but I don't expect him to. I do expect him to make tough catches in traffic, something even speed WR's have to be able to do, and he can't d it. He's also invisible in the red zone due to his style. He doesn't run great routes, he just runs fast and deep and with Arians the OC, Ben often threw deep to Wallace. That's going to change with Haley. Ben isn't going to have a free pass to just throw deep whenever he feels like it. Haley won't allow that garbage to continue, especially in 3rd and short situations.

I don't expect much from Wallace next year, no matter where he goes.

 

Huh?? Do you have it 100% backwards? It's better to sign guys and NOT give up a first round pick. This says absolutely nothing negative about Mike Wallace. Nothing at all. I don't understand people who say "It's a telling sign that no one will give up a first round pick to sign a FA and instead sign a FA for whom they had to give up nothing." As if this means that any of the receivers you mentioned are better than Wallace. It doesn't even mean the three of them are better. All of them only cost money. Wallace would cost MORE money, AND A FIRST ROUND PICK! Lloyd went for a 6th last year, didn't he? What are the other two worth? A 5th and a 7th?

Haha yeah, I doubt we go deep to him this year too.