Mike Wallace Will Not Sign RFA Tender, Cleveland Browns Interested?

Multiple teams are interested in acquiring Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace according to a report from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Wallace has been reported as having “no plans” of signing a restricted free-agent tender that would garner him $2.74 million in 2012. He is also planning on skipping training camp until a new contract is agreed upon.

The Steelers' current salary cap woes and the high demands from Wallace do not bode well for the two parties coming to an agreement in the near term.

Success of recent wide receiver hold-outs

DeSean Jackson lasted only 11 days during a hold-out during the 2011 offseason. He came back to play for the Philadelphia Eagles without a new contract until the end of the 2011 season, when he was rewarded with a five-year, $51 million deal.

Vincent Jackson, on the other hand, continued his 2010 hold-out until Week eight. He then served a three game suspension from the San Diego Chargers and did not play in a regular season game until Week 12 against the Indianapolis Colts. In 2011, Jackson was franchised and played well for the Chargers in his final season. Recently, he signed a blockbuster deal worth an approximate $55.5 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Would the Steelers consider trading Mike Wallace?  

As ESPN AFC North blogger Jamison Hensley pointed out, "The Steelers know they will get a compensatory third-round pick for Wallace if he leaves as a free agent after this season."

Given Wallace’s ability and probable statistics, assuming he does play in 2012, the Steelers could garner more than a third-round compensatory pick.

If you look at things from that perspective, why would the Steelers want to part ways with Wallace now, when they can get another season of production out of him before he hits the free-agent market, and they're rewarded for losing him?

There is always the risk he could go the route of Vincent Jackson. However, in order for Wallace to become a free agent in 2013, he must play a majority of 2012 in order to accrue credit towards his contract for playing the season.

Ultimately, this would hurt the Steelers in the short-term but the risk vs. reward for them is in their favor.

Lastly, and in favor for Wallace leaving Pittsburgh, the Steelers have been undergoing massive restructuring of contracts in order to make room for re-signing their star players. Currently, they do not have the means to give Wallace the type of contract he is looking for, which is reportedly more than Larry Fitzgerald's eight-year, $120 million deal.

The Browns are in a perfect position to make this move.

Heading into the 2012 NFL Draft, the Browns have a total of 13 draft picks to improve their struggling franchise. A young nucleus is beginning to develop on the defensive side of the ball and it is the offense’s turn for improvement in 2012.

Youngsters Jordan Norwood and Greg Little have flashed significant potential as contributors to a future offense centered on the principles of the West Coast offense. Greg Little’s experience and improvement as a rookie in 2011 and Norwood’s ability to find space in zone coverage are positive signs for the unit.

However, the Browns still need an offensive weapon that can keep opposing defenses honest.  Wallace’s blazing speed, great hands, ability to beat man-to-man coverage and his ability to slip in between zone coverages are all things that would drastically propel the Browns offense out of the cellar of the NFL offensively.

Are the Browns one of the teams reportedly interested?

It makes sense, given the amount of draft picks the Browns have to barter with, and the potential star-quality player they would receive in return. General Manager Tom Heckert has been known as a draft-day guru, and has acquired top talent at the wide receiver position dating back to his drafting of Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson in Philadelphia.

Greg Little, Heckert’s second-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, has also shown glimpses of brilliance after one season of play.

If Heckert does not see a can’t-miss prospect in this draft, this move makes perfect sense.

To this point, there has been no reported interested by the Browns in acquiring Wallace, although the team is searching for weapons and a No. 1 wide receiver.

You tell me.

The prospect of adding a proven, top-caliber wide receiver such as Mike Wallace should excite you as a fan. The uncertainty involved in drafting a wide receiver with the No. 4, No. 22 and No. 37 picks should be a motivating factor for Tom Heckert to explore, and ultimately pull the trigger on a deal to take Wallace.

The Browns will not sign Wallace as a RFA due to the fact that the pick used would be their own (No. 4 overall) and not the pick they obtained from the Atlanta Falcons (No. 22) in last year’s blockbuster trade. The Falcons pick, though, could be used in a trade to try to pull Wallace away from Pittsburgh.

Not only would having Mike Wallace in the Browns' lineup benefit the Browns, but it would significantly detract from the impressive vertical game of their archrival, the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

That’s what you call a two-for-one.

So Browns fans, Mike Wallace anyone? 

Would the Steelers pull the trigger?  Would the Browns?

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