Mike Wallace Reportedly Expected to Rejoin Steelers Before Season Starts

The Pittsburgh Steelers need Mike Wallace on the field when the games count, and it appears they will have him—signed tender offer or not.

Per ESPN, Wallace will be in uniform and available for action, despite his unsettled contract situation.

The article states:

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The wide receiver, who hasn't signed his tender offer from the Steelers as he wants a long-term contract, is expected to report to the team before the regular season begins, people who have spoken to him told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

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It's a tremendous boost to the Steelers' passing game, as Wallace stretches the field like few other players in the NFL. The 26-year-old went to the Pro Bowl last season after snagging 72 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns.

Still, the Steelers have said they won't negotiate a new contract unless Wallace is with the team and signs his tender. 

This feels like Wallace is the one giving in here. The Steelers drew a line in the sand with the deal to Brown, and Wallace may be losing his grip in this power struggle.

Wallace deciding to report to the team certainly shows some give on his part. He has earned more than the measly offer the Steelers made to him.

Pittsburgh's offer of a one-year tender for $2.7 million was a bit low for a receiver of Wallace's caliber. In his career, Wallace has 171 receptions, 3,206 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns, and that has come in just three NFL seasons.

There is no wonder he believes he deserves a long-term deal. I'm not implying he should be paid in the same ballpark as Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald, but I would have a problem with the tender offer as well. 

What could be even more insulting to Wallace is that the Steelers gave Antonio Brown a five-year, $42 million contract, and Wallace is a more accomplished player. It's as if the Steelers are attempting to pay him like a one-dimensional receiver, but Wallace has proved he's more than that.

The Steelers have refused to be held hostage by the demands of a holdout, and I don't blame them. This is business, and slowly but surely, it seems the Steelers are going to come out on top in this one.

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