The Steelers’ decision not to reduce the restricted free agent tender for receiver Mike Wallace was part of the franchise’s general belief that Wallace is a great player who deserves to be paid well, the team’s general manager says.
Kevin Colbert told 105.9 The X’s Mark Madden that the Steelers never gave any real consideration to dropping the tender offer.
“When we tendered Mike at the amount we did, the compensation through that tender, we really had no issue with that whatsoever because he is deserving of that,” Colbert said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Wallace, however, obviously thinks he deserves more than the $2.7 million restricted free agent tender, and that’s why he hasn’t signed it yet. Colbert said he still believes the Steelers and Wallace can reach a deal that’s acceptable to both sides.
“We want him to get a long-term deal that he deserves and I am real confident that we will be able to do that because when both sides want the same thing, it is only a matter of time,” Colbert said.
It remains to be seen how much time: Wallace and the Steelers may both want to get a contract done, but from all appearances they’re far apart on the financial details of that contract.