GregR
Footballguy
Let me just add, there is no injustice going on in this situation. Whether it's the Steelers with Wallace, the Texans with Foster, or the Bears with Forte... they've had exclusive negotiating rights all of this time and didn't get a deal done.
Even after that, they can stick the RFA tender or a tag on the player. His only option then to get a salary beyond what the team may offer in a multi-year deal (if they offer one at all) is to turn to another team who may be willing to give up the draft picks to get him.
The original team has had all the advantage all along here. There is no reason they need further protection or the ability to be able to completely recraft the offer another team gives him. If a Wallace wants to stay with the Steelers, he can take that offer from the Pats, go back to the Steelers without signing it and say, "Here's what they offered me... if you offer me a contract that matches it but structured in a way to work for you, then I'll stay with you." This is exactly why few teams even bother to negotiate with RFAs or tagged players, because that is what will happen unless the player actually wants to leave, in which case the original team will probably just match the terms unless they can't.
If the original team let things get to this point, they really aren't deserving of much sympathy if another team is willing to step up and do in a few days of negotiating what the original team wasn't willing to give the player in months or years of time they had exclusive rights.
Even after that, they can stick the RFA tender or a tag on the player. His only option then to get a salary beyond what the team may offer in a multi-year deal (if they offer one at all) is to turn to another team who may be willing to give up the draft picks to get him.
The original team has had all the advantage all along here. There is no reason they need further protection or the ability to be able to completely recraft the offer another team gives him. If a Wallace wants to stay with the Steelers, he can take that offer from the Pats, go back to the Steelers without signing it and say, "Here's what they offered me... if you offer me a contract that matches it but structured in a way to work for you, then I'll stay with you." This is exactly why few teams even bother to negotiate with RFAs or tagged players, because that is what will happen unless the player actually wants to leave, in which case the original team will probably just match the terms unless they can't.
If the original team let things get to this point, they really aren't deserving of much sympathy if another team is willing to step up and do in a few days of negotiating what the original team wasn't willing to give the player in months or years of time they had exclusive rights.