Steelers negotiations with Mike Wallace suspended

The Pittsburgh Steelers are planning to suspend negations on a new multi-year contract with wide receiver Mike Wallace until he signs his one-year tender and reports to the team, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Wallace was offered a one-year contract worth $2.472 million last March as a restricted free agent but remains the only RFA in the NFL to not sign. Wallace can not practice until he is under contract, he did not report to training camp on Wednesday.

Coach Mike Tomlin told Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette after the team’s conditioning test that “it’s unfortunate for him that he’s not here.”

“Obviously Mike Wallace was not here today. I don’t know when he’s going to be here. Obviously we have a desire for him to be here. We want him to be a part of this thing both short term and long term. We’ve been in negotiations with him. He’s not here today. It’s unfortunate for him.

“One thing that experience has taught me is that this is bigger than all of us. It’s bigger than Mike, it’s bigger than me, so I mean that when I say it’s unfortunate for him that he’s not here.”

The faster the Steelers can sign Wallace the better as he will need time to learn the new offense installed by coordinator Todd Haley. He did pick up one of Haley’s new playbook in the spring.

Emmanuel Sanders will take Wallace’s spot in the starting lineup while he is out.