Mike Wallace - Pro Football Rumors

North Notes: Wallace, Hicks, Bryant, Vikings

March 12th, 2016 at 8:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Even after being released by the Vikings earlier this week, Mike Wallace still might return to Minnesota, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who says that the possibility of Wallace re-signing with the Vikings is “on the table.” Wallace hasn’t been the same player since leaving the Steelers after 2012, as he’s averaged just 755 yards and six touchdowns with the Dolphins and Vikings in the three years since. But he’s not yet 30 years old, and given the crop of free agent wideouts, he should be able to find a nice landing spot.

Wallace was set to count $11.5MM against the cap in 2016, so if Minnesota does want to re-sign him, it will obviously be for far less than that total. The Ravens will reportedly have Wallace in for a visit, and while it’s just my speculation, I wonder if the Steelers would be interested in a reunion given that Martavis Bryant is facing a yearlong suspension.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFL’s two North divisions…

Free agent defensive lineman Akiem Hicks is in Chicago deciding his next move, and no resolution is expected to be announced today, reports Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). The Bears are still in the hunt for Hicks, per Finley, while the Lions have also expressed interest.
The Steelers have known about Bryant’s suspension since before the combine, tweets Albert Breer of NFL.com, so today’s news didn’t come as a major surprise.
Two Vikings‘ linebackers — Travis Lewis and Audie Cole — received one-year, minimum salary benefit deals, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter links). Lewis received a $50K signing bonus, per Rothstein, while Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported (via Twitter) a few days ago that Cole received a $40K bonus.

Mike Wallace To Visit Ravens

March 12th, 2016 at 4:27pm CST by Zachary Links

SATURDAY, 4:27pm: Wallace will visit the Ravens on Monday, SI.com’s Don Banks tweets. However, Baltimore’s interest hinges on the recently released receiver accepting a low-budget deal, per Banks.

WEDNESDAY, 9:34am: The Ravens are interested in free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace, Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com tweets. The Ravens are clearing cap space, she writes, in an effort to do something significant in free agency. The Ravens are also interested in left tackle Kelvin Beachum (link).

The Vikings released Wallace on Tuesday when they could not agree on a pay cut. During his first and only season in Minnesota, Wallace matched or set career-lows by catching just 39 balls for 473 yards and two touchdowns. The 29-year-old becomes the latest in a long line of veteran wideouts to hit the open market, joining free agents like Marques Colston, Roddy White, and Greg Jennings, and Andre Johnson.

Prior to last season, Wallace logged five straight seasons of 60-plus receptions, 800 or more yards and at least five touchdowns.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Vikings Release Mike Wallace

March 8th, 2016 at 2:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Vikings are releasing veteran wide receiver Mike Wallace, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). The team had reportedly hoped to keep Wallace in the fold by working out a pay cut for him, but it seems the two sides couldn’t reach an agreement on a reworked contract. The club has confirmed that the move is official.

[RELATED: Vikings re-sign LB Audie Cole]

If Wallace was playing hardball in negotiations on his potential pay cut, it was likely an easy decision for the Vikings to release him. Because they initially acquired the ex-Dolphin in a trade, the Vikes were only on the hook for Wallace’s base salary and workout bonuses, and not any prorated bonus money. That means Minnesota clears the wideout’s entire $11.5MM cap hit from the team’s 2016 cap sheet by cutting him.

During his first and only season in Minnesota, Wallace matched or set career-lows by catching just 39 balls for 473 yards and two touchdowns. The 29-year-old becomes the latest in a long line of veteran wideouts to hit the open market, joining free agents like Marques Colston, Roddy White, and Greg Jennings. The Colts are expected to release Andre Johnson as well, once the new league year begins.

The Vikings also formally waived offensive tackle Austin Wentworth today. He announced his retirement last spring due to medical issues, but Minnesota continued to pay him for the 2015 season in a “class move,” tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Vikings Want To Keep Mike Wallace, Phil Loadholt

March 4th, 2016 at 5:42pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Vikings are interested in bringing back wide receiver Mike Wallace and right tackle Phil Loadholt next season at reduced prices, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Both would need to take significant pay cuts in order to return, per Tomasson.

As of now, Wallace is due to count an unpalatable $11.5MM against the Vikings’ cap in 2016, while Loadholt has a $7.75MM charge. The Vikings would incur no dead money if they were to cut Wallace, thus recouping his entire $11.5MM hit. Loadholt’s release would free up $6MM for the Vikes, who are currently middle of the pack in spending room ($23.80MM), according to Over the Cap.

Wallace, whom the Vikings acquired from the Dolphins for a fifth-round pick a year ago, was supposed to provide young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater a high-caliber target last season. That didn’t happen, though, as the seventh-year man had the least productive campaign of his career.

After five straight seasons of 60-plus receptions, 800 or more yards and at least five touchdowns, Wallace caught a mere 39 passes for 473 yards and two scores for the NFC North champions. Those numbers were all personal worsts for the 29-year-old. Nevertheless, the Vikings are fans of Wallace’s locker room presence and still think he has productive football left in him, Tomasson notes.

“(Wallace) probably was disappointing from a statistical standpoint, but (there was) what Mike Wallace brought into our locker room and his buy-in and his sacrifice from a standpoint of stats and what was best for the team,’’ general manager Rick Spielman said at last month’s scouting combine.

Since sitting out only one game from 2009-13, injuries have hampered Loadholt. The 343-pounder missed the final five games of the 2014 campaign because of a torn pectoral muscle and then all of last season with a torn Achilles. Loadholt, 30, hasn’t played a 16-game season since 2012, but he suited up for 15 contests in 2013 and graded out as a top-five tackle by Pro Football Focus’ standards.

T.J. Clemmings took over for Loadholt last season and started all 17 of Minnesota’s games as a fourth-round rookie, though he ranked an ugly 62nd out of 77 qualifying tackles at PFF (subscription required).

Wallace has two seasons remaining on the five-year, $60MM pact he signed with Miami in 2013. Loadholt is entering the final season of a four-year, $25MM deal.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cole’s Latest: Kaepernick, Jenkins, Wallace

February 28th, 2016 at 3:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A report earlier today indicated that the Texans are not expected to trade for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and Jason Cole of Bleaher Report (Twitter link) confirms that information, relaying that he was “told strongly” that Houston will not be dealing for Kaepernick. However, the Texans could have interest in Kaepernick if he is released by San Francisco.

Here’s more from Cole:

Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins has fired his agent, according to Cole (video link), after Jenkins found Los Angeles’ latest offer of five years and $45MM unacceptable. Jenkins must now wait five days to hire a new agent, during which point the Rams cannot negotiate with him. As Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News writes, Los Angeles can still the place the franchise/transition tag on Jenkins in advance of Tuesday’s deadline (though the latest reports have the Rams leaning towards using the tag on fellow corner Trumaine Johnson). Jenkins, per Cole, is expected to hire the Schwartz and Feinsod agency for representation.
Vikings GM Rick Spielman is set to meet with the agent for receiver Mike Wallace at the combine in the hopes of convincing Wallace to accept a paycut, Cole reports (video link). Wallace is scheduled to count $11.5MM against the cap in 2016, and Minnesota can clear out all that money by releasing him.
There is mutual interest between the Dolphins and free agent offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz “down the line,” tweets Cole. The Giants released Schwartz earlier this month, so he’s free to sign with any club immediately.
North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz drew rave reviews at the combine, according to Cole (video link), and while he looks like the favorite to be the first quarterback off the board in April’s draft, Cal’s Jared Goff is still in the running, as well.
Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had offseason surgery on his lower back, per Cole (video link), but the operation was considered minor by both club and player. Jordan should be ready for New Orleans’ offseason program.

NFC Notes: Vikings, Lions, 49ers

November 28th, 2015 at 8:29pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

When the Vikings acquired Mike Wallace from Miami in the offseason, they were getting one of the NFL’s most accomplished wideouts over the previous half-decade. Wallace had accumulated 60-plus catches and 800 or more yards in five straight seasons, also totaling an impressive 41 touchdowns during that span. That version of Wallace hasn’t shown up in Minnesota, however, as the 29-year-old has just 28 receptions, 318 yards and a mere one score in 10 games. Thanks to his lack of productivity, Wallace has set the stage for his release in the offseason, writes Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. If the Vikings cut Wallace after the season, they’ll save $11.5MM on their salary cap in both 2016 and ’17.

More on the Vikings and two of their NFC counterparts:

The Vikings are about to endure an 18-day stretch that could define their season, opines Mark Craig of the Star Tribune. At 7-3, it would seem the Vikings are in line for a playoff spot at the moment, but they’ve gone 0-2 against plus-.500 teams this year and face three postseason contenders in consecutive weeks. “It seems like every time we play these big-time games, we don’t show up,” stated cornerback Captain Munnerlyn. “So we got to fix that. We got to fix that right now.” If the Vikings don’t fix it with the 6-4 Falcons, 5-5 Seahawks and 8-2 Cardinals looming, they could go from the driver’s seat of the NFC North to 7-6 in a hurry.
By hiring longtime general manager Ernie Accorsi as a consultant to help them find a new GM, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press submits that the Lions are handling their search properly. Next up, Birkett believes the team needs to clarify an ownership succession plan to assure candidates that the franchise is stable.
49ers center Daniel Kilgore remains on the team’s PUP list this weekend, having not been added to the 53-man roster today. However, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee tweets, San Francisco will have one more week to potentially activate Kilgore, who has practiced for the last two weeks.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC North Notes: Wallace, Lions, Megatron

November 13th, 2015 at 6:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Mike Wallace knows that his hefty contract could make this a one-and-done season with the Vikings, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Wallace is making $9.9MM this year and due to earn $11.5MM in 2016, but next year’s salary is not guaranteed. Meanwhile, Minnesota is pretty stacked at wide receiver, a stable that includes rookie Stefon Diggs.

“I’m not stupid. I’m a pretty smart guy. I understand everything,” Wallace said. “When you go to look at that, that’s a lot of money to leave out there that you want to get, but you have to make plays to get those numbers up. We’ll see.”

So far, Wallace has just 27 receptions for 296 yards. At that pace, his 54 catches would be fewest since his rookie year, and 592 yards would be a career-low. Diggs, meanwhile, has 28 catches for 461 yards despite being inactive for the first three of Minnesota’s eight games.

Here’s more from the NFC North:

Lions interim GM Sheldon White was non-committal when asked about the futures of Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Stafford, 27, has struggled for most of the season and the Lions can get out from his deal this offseason with just an $11MM cap hit. Johnson, 30, is one of the most talented receivers in the game, but at his age he’s likely not worth the ~$16MM salary he’s due to make next year, a rate that comes with a whopping $24MM cap hit.
Contrary to published reports, two people familiar with the situation told Larry Lage of The Associated Press that the Lions have not hired a firm to assist them with their search for new executives.
In a separate piece, Birkett wonders if ex-Lions GM Martin Mayhew could get another chance to be a GM elsewhere. For what it’s worth, former Lions senior personnel executive Shack Harris feels that Mayhew should get another shot.
Per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Packers tried out several defensive players today, including cornerbacks Donald Celiscar and Joel Ross, linebacker Derrick Mathews, and defensive end B.J. McBryde.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Barkley, Mays, Seahawks, Falcons

August 22nd, 2015 at 5:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A look at the latest from the NFC:

Eagles quarterback Matt Barkley is available “for the right deal,” a source told ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini (Twitter link). Barkley, a fourth-round pick out of USC in 2013, could be the odd man out in Philly with Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow also on the team’s QB depth chart.
The Seahawks may have a hole at safety with Kam Chancellor holding out, but don’t expect them to sign free agent Taylor Mays, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweeted. Mays, whom Detroit officially released earlier today, played for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll while the two were at USC. Mays’ successful college career hasn’t translated to the pros, though, as he’s already been a member of four organizations since San Francisco chose him in the second round of the 2010 draft.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has started 87 straight games, the fifth-longest streak among NFL passers, and that’s especially fortunate for Atlanta, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Falcons might have the worst No. 2 QB in the league in T.J. Yates, per Cunningham, who bolsters his opinion with some help from PredictionMachine.com. According to the website, the Falcons’ playoff chances would decrease by a league-high 85.3 percent if they played with Yates instead of Ryan for a full 16-game season.
Vikings receivers coach George Stewart offered effusive praise for veteran wideout Mike Wallace, whom the team acquired from Miami during the offseason. Wallace is the fastest receiver Stewart has coached during his 27-year career, he told Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Stewart also expressed excitement over the impact Wallace will make as a blocker. “Excellent toughness,” Stewart said. “He’s not afraid of contact. He’s going to block (cornerbacks) corners, he’s going to block safeties. You have some receivers who are kind of shy when it comes down to that moment of truth hitting the defensive back. He’s not shy.

Mike Zimmer On Vikings Offseason, Peterson, Offense

July 25th, 2015 at 11:29am CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings didn’t make many notable moves via free agency this offseason, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t active. The team got rid of quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder, and they also brought in wideout Mike Wallace. They welcomed ten draft picks to the organization, agreed to an extension with center John Sullivan, and restructured Adrian Peterson‘s three-year deal.

Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune sat down with head coach Mike Zimmer to discuss the team’s offseason moves and his outlook for next season. We’ve collected some of the notable quotes below…

On the team seemingly ignoring free agency and prioritizing the draft:

“When you get involved in free agency, you’re paying players an awful lot of money, No. 1. And you don’t really know. It could be the system that helped them. You don’t know their personality, their work ethic, how they are in the locker room with chemistry. You try to find these things out, but you don’t really know. At least with young players, if you do make a mistake, it’s a lot cheaper. And all the work that the scouts and everybody does, getting a chance to interview the players at the combine and see them in person moving around, I just think it’s the more proven way to go.”

On the Adrian Peterson extension:

“We just thought it was beneficial for both sides that we got this done. He’s proved that he’s an integral part of this organization and in the state of Minnesota. He also went through some hard times, as did we. It was a good gesture on both sides to get it done.”

On the “additions” of Peterson (suspension), Kyle Rudolph (injury) and Mike Wallace (trade), and how the trio will help the offense:

“The possibilities are there and those are the things that excite you, that you have some players with some talent and ability. But then we have to go out there and do it and prove it. If I was trying to defend us, there would be a number of weapons that you would have to take care of, and I think that’s always good. The more weapons that people have a hard time taking away from you, it opens up more things for you. It’s almost pick your poison.”

Vikings Acquire Mike Wallace

March 23rd, 2015 at 5:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

MARCH 24: The fifth-rounder headed to Miami will be pick No. 149, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Vikings will keep the 137th pick, acquired from Tampa Bay via Buffalo.

MARCH 13: The Dolphins have traded wide receiver Mike Wallace and a seventh-round pick to the Vikings for a fifth-rounder, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Both picks are in the 2015 draft, the Dolphins tweeted.

In dealing Wallace, the Dolphins free up $2.5MM of cap space in 2015, $9.3MM in 2016 and $11.5MM in 2017, though they’ll be stuck with over $16MM of dead money during that time span. Most of that dead money ($9.6MM, to be exact) will be on Miami’s books this year. However, the $2.5MM the Dolphins save for next season will help in their efforts to keep tight end Charles Clay, a transitional free agent whom the AFC East rival Bills are pursuing. Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets that Miami has “more than enough” cap for Clay. That news comes in the wake of both the Wallace trade and the deal the Dolphins made earlier Friday to send expensive linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and a third-round pick to the Saints for wideout Kenny Stills.

As for Wallace, the trade should come as no surprise to the 28-year-old, who Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported was on the phone with Vikings staff members throughout the afternoon on Friday. Wallace, who spent the first four years of his career in Pittsburgh, signed a five-year, $60MM contract with the Dolphins prior to the 2013 season. He subsequently caught 140 passes for nearly 1,800 yards and 15 touchdowns during his two years in Miami. The Dolphins will replace him with Stills, who hauled in 63 passes for over 900 yards as a second-year man in 2014.

In Minnesota, Wallace will give young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater a durable, productive target. The six-year veteran has missed just one game in his career and has five consecutive seasons of at least 60 catches. Wallace is coming off a campaign that saw him tie a personal best with 10 TDs, giving him 47 for his career.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.