Pittsburgh Steelers unlikely to agree over $100 million deal for Mike Wallace-NFL News
Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver, Mike Wallace, who is on a holdout of organised team activities (OTAs) in protest over his long-term expensive deal demands, hardly has an option other than to sign the franchise tender by the deadline, June 15.
The main problem for Wallace is that time is running out for him as he continues to refuse signing the tender worth $2.74 million.
He has tried his luck on the free agency, but did not receive any offer from elsewhere in the National Football League (NFL).
The trade deadline of the free agency is already expired for him and the only choice he has got is to sign the tender.
The player and his agent, Bus Cook, are rather trying to use the holdout as a leverage to convince the team for the desired deal.
This remains to be very risky business as the team can cut Wallace’s desired payout by 110 percent and assign him a new tender from June 15. Still Steelers will have exclusive rights of the player.
So, if Steelers try their option, Wallace will lose more than gain.
Lucky for him, the management has not hinted at exercising the tender’s price reduction option, probably in hopes that the player will be back soon.
Steelers’ coach, Mike Tomlin, is optimistic that the player will end his protest soon and hopes for the holdout to be a short-term misery. He expects Wallace to sign the tender just before the deadline.
Some analysts think that Wallace will sign the tender on eve of the deadline.
They are also of the view that in spite of Steelers’ difficulties on the salary cap issue, the management should show some flexibility on Wallace’s matter.
It is not just Wallace who stands losing more than 75 percent payout on his tender, Steelers, too, are likely to suffer in the quality of talent.
They have already parted ways with many of their veterans and are relying on young players for their future success.
Amid the scenario, the decision of Wallace skipping the team’s training camp and preseason will not serve any good to their cause.
So it is a matter of both sides to engage in detailed discussions and work out something that is acceptable for both of them.
A real progress looks uncertain at the moment given Wallace is persistent with his demand of getting over $100 million payout and Steelers, with the salary cap problem, are unlikely to even consider that.
By and large, the solution of the matter is down to agreement on the finances between the two parties.
Lately, no reports of the stakeholders being in talks on the matter have emerged, making it difficult to speculate a timeline for the outcome.
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