Minnesota Vikings and Mike Wallace to discuss pay cut
By Adam Carlson
The Minnesota Vikings will reportedly meet with Mike Wallace and his agent at the 2016 NFL Combine to discuss the wide receiver’s salary and expectations.
When it comes to the 2015 NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings exceeded the expectations of many people. They captured the NFC North for the first time since 2009 and showcased a young, ferocious team built for the future.
However, not every piece of the team was as impressive. One of the most disappointing performances came from veteran wide receiver Mike Wallace, who was expected to stretch the field and help young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater develop as a passer.
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Sadly, Wallace was more of a decoy than a playmaker in 2015. He finished the season with career lows in several statistics, including receptions (39 – tied), receiving yards (473), yards per catch (12.1), and touchdowns (2). All of that gets even worse when it is taken into account that he had a salary cap hit of $9,900,000 and is scheduled to cost the team $11.5 million against the cap for 2016.
The Minnesota Vikings may not have to pay that price tag though. According to a report from Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, Mike Wallace and his agent Bus Cook will meet with the team at the 2016 NFL Combine to discuss a possible pay cut that would keep him with the team.
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It appears as though the team values his leadership and unselfishness. On several occasions, head coach Mike Zimmer, Rick Spielman, and Wallace’s teammates have spoken about how valuable he can be to the team. Rick Spielman recently praised him at the combine despite the low statistical output according to Vikings.com.
"“The other guy, and I know probably was disappointed from a statistical standpoint, but what Mike Wallace brought into our locker room and his buy in and his sacrifice from the standpoint of stats and what was best for the team,” Spielman said. “And I know coach Zimmer mentioned it in his postseason press conference, but he was a true professional. And everything he was asked to do, he did it to his best. His leadership also was key to the success we had on the field.”"
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The big question on the table right now is that kind of value does Mike Wallace still have for the Minnesota Vikings and will the high-profile wide receiver be willing to reduce his price tag enough to make that compromise happen. It will be interesting to see if the two sides can find a number they both agree on to keep the veteran pass catcher a member of the Minnesota Vikings for the 2016 season.