Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Wallace is a restricted free agent this offseason and will likely not be returning to Pittsburgh. Wallace is coming off of two strong seasons which have made him one of the NFL’s most sought after wide receivers. It is expected that to get Wallace, a team would have to give up a first-round draft pick and a big enough structured contract that Pittsburgh would not match it. With the New England Patriots looking for a top wide receiver, is Wallace worth that price?
Wallace has become a top receiver while in Pittsburgh. In 2010, he caught 60 passes for 1,257 yards and 10 touchdowns. He followed that season up in 2011 in which he caught 71 passes for 1,182 yards and eight touchdowns while only playing in 15 games. In each of his three seasons in the NFL, he’s averaged over 16 yards a catch. He certainly is a player the Patriots could use. However it’s not whether or not the Patriots want Wallace but rather is he worth the price.
The Patriots currently have one of the strongest offenses in the league without any additions. It is expected that Wes Welker will return, Deion Branch could return, and the Patriots still have tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski who are an important part of the passing game. With the contract maneuvering the Patriots would have to make to sign Wallace, it’s possible it would be a choice between Wallace and Welker.
There are certainly other options for New England as well. The Patriots are the defending AFC Champions who finished the regular season with the best record in the conference. That means that players want to go there. The Patriots have a strong running game, a strong offensive line, and one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. Rather than losing a first-round pick that can be used to fix defensive secondary problems, the Patriots would be better off ignoring Wallace and picking up a player such as Brandon Lloyd or Vincent Jackson.
While Lloyd has only had one season that can compare with Wallace, Jackson has had comparable stats in three of his last four seasons. Other than 2010 in which Jackson only played five games, the 29-year old pro bowler has averaged 62 receptions for 1,124 yards and eight touchdowns in three of the last four years. He is coming off a 2011 season in which he caught 60 passes for 1,106 yards and nine touchdowns. Certainly Wallace has an advantage in that his is only 25 and could sign a longer contract but the Patriots have recently been known for signing older free agents such as Randy Moss and Chad Ochocinco to fill the role that they are currently trying to fill.
Mike Wallace would be a valuable piece to the New England Patriots in 2012 but he is probably not worth the price. The Patriots have pressing needs in the defensive secondary, they’re in need of a pass rusher on the defensive line, and will probably be looking to draft a young wide receiver. With those issues to confront plus the stellar offense they already possess, it is unlikely Wallace would be worth what the Patriots would lose.
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