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Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace could have a big impact on the free agent market this year.
The Pittsburgh Steelers face a tough situation with wide receiver Mike Wallace. The fate of "60 Minutes" could have a big impact on the 2012 NFL Draft, the free agent market and even the St. Louis Rams.
Allow me to explain.
Pittsburgh's salary commitments currently have them over the league's cap amount. Even with the expected shuffling they will be hard pressed to find enough space to use the franchise tag on Wallace, a move that would pay him $9.4 million. Their only option is to give a restricted free agent offer at the first-round level, which would pay him less than $3 million in 2012.
No problem, right? Wrong. The league is buzzing with the possibility of another team making Wallace an offer that the Steelers cannot match given their cap situation. The new CBA bans the practice of a poison pill contract, but any normal free agent offer for a player of Wallace's talent would be prohibitive for the Steelers to match.
A team could easily surrender a first-round pick for a player of Wallace's caliber, and there is no shortage of rumors about teams will to make such a move.
Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network recently said to keep an eye on Baltimore and New England as two potential interlopers for Wallace. New England has two first-round picks, which would make it easy. There are other teams that could do the same.
With Wallace a de facto free agent, that potentially removes a landing spot for some of the other names available in free agency.
If New England were in the mix, that would end Brandon Lloyd's chances of reuniting with Josh McDaniels in New England. It would increase the Rams' chances for bringing him back.
Lloyd is not at the top of the free agent receiver class, but he is a solid deep threat, something the Rams have sorely lacked in recent years. With New England out of the mix, Lloyd might opt for the familiarity of playing in St. Louis again in 2012, and he would be a cheaper option than Vincent Jackson, allowing the Rams to add another receiver to strengthen the position in 2012.
0 recs | 14 comments
how soon would a team have to make an offer?
itsvon - February 22, 2012
Makes me laugh
We talk about Brandon loyyd as a deep threat and how he has the speed to get open and all that, with the combine coming up we are all focused on Justin blackmons 40 time. People question his deep threat ability based on the fact he might not run a burning 40 time. Brandon loyyd ran a 4.62.
miketrap3 - February 22, 2012 via mobile
Its interesting
think about it this way, signing loyd gives us the chance to take a speedester to develop in a later round because he is better than all the recievers we have combined.
was2234 - February 22, 2012
Did we have a speedster from Clemsen....
that didn’t work out to well?
Boofer - February 22, 2012
Funny how people think just cause we get a speedster
He will be a great deep threat, Oakland anyone?
RG31 - February 22, 2012 via mobile
We had a speedster corner from Clemson.
Avery was out of Houston.
Joe Mazzi - February 22, 2012 via mobile
Great. Thats all we need.
Another WR to drafted in the later rounds to develop. Throw him in with the pile all the other wide receivers we’re developing. We’ll have some capable receivers in another 3 years or so.
Da Rams! - February 22, 2012
I feel there are better "values" out there besides Lloyd & Jackson
I would take Pierre Garcon before I brought back Lloyd. Robert Meachem could be another “value” pick up.
Remember, Lloyd has little to no history with this coaching staff and has played/practiced very little with our “franchise” QB. I just do not see him as a “need” to re-sign with potentially better “value” (potentally cheaper and definitely younger with comparable skill sets) Free Agents out there.
RBramfan - February 22, 2012
Schefter said something about him several days ago too.
Looks like they’ll have to move him
sergey606 - February 22, 2012
I love
WR’s that are so fast, they can’t catch the ball!
OakCityRam - February 22, 2012
?
New England accordingly doesn’t have the money to pay Welker and get Lloyd but they’re in the market for M. Wallace? This is over my head.
Telephun - February 22, 2012
Even if Lloyd comes back he's still not the long term solution.
Drafting Blackmon would allow the Rams enough time to get him up to speed with the offense so he can take over once Lloyd retires, is traded, or waived. The Rams will still need an extra wideout beyond those two players. If Blackmon turns out to be a true #1 then it lessens the need to draft another receiver in the 1st round again.
Da Rams! - February 22, 2012
yap
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Evedonnalds - February 23, 2012
The spam is back :(
Midasknight - February 23, 2012
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