NFL Rumors: Mike Wallace Not Worth What He's Asking for

Right now, Mike Wallace and the rest of the NFL do not appear to be on the same wavelength when it comes to a long-term contract. If he wants that to happen in this offseason, something is going to have to give. 

According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, Wallace's asking price is immense not only in financial terms, but also when comparing his wishes to other players.  

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A league source said that Wallace, 25, wants a contract that surpasses the eight-year, $120 million deal that Larry Fitzgerald signed last year with the Cardinals. Combine that with the first-round pick any team that signs Wallace to an offer sheet would lose if the Steelers didn't match the offer, and you start to understand why we've heard so little about Wallace in the last week and a half.

That, of course, could change. Teams have another month to sign restricted free agents. But at that price, the 49ers aren't interested, and it's hard to imagine the Patriots, Bengals and Ravens paying that either.

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Frankly, I don't see anyone forking out that much money. The only contenders that could pay him that kind of cash were eliminated by Barrows, and non-contenders have high draft picks that would be given up. 

Wallace is a fine receiver, but he's yet to do anything to suggest that he's worth what Larry Fitzgerald is making, or anything close. Wallace has always been on good teams that allow him to be in favorable matchups. Fitzgerald has not had that to his advantage, especially since Anquan Boldin left town. 

Still, Fitzgerald is a receiver that opponents genuinely have to worry about taking over a game. Wallace can make big plays, but he isn't a dominant player that will beat superior teams on his own. That is what Fitzgerald is, and that distinction is immensely important. 

Wallace is certainly worth a big pay day, but he's not going to get anything that big, not this year. Teams just aren't going to be willing to fork out that kind of money, and a draft pick for someone. This is especially true when you consider another point made by Barrows in the same blog cited above. 

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The Steelers placed a first-round tender worth $2.74 million on Wallace. If Wallace signs it, he'll become an unrestricted free agent next season and all 32 teams will be able to bid on him without the fear of losing a draft pick.

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Teams will be willing to wait a year on this one and just pay the big price while keeping the draft pick. Realistically, this is just a matter of good business. 

This isn't to say that Wallace is a bad player, or that he has anything but a bright future. But if a team is already going to have to lose a first-round pick, it will not pay that kind of money when other more proven receivers are making less. 

If Wallace is going to get signed to a long-term deal this offseason, he's going to have to find a way to get that contract down. If he can't do that, then he'll have no option but to take the Steelers' offer and take his chances that his value increases in 2012. 

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