Mike Tomlindidn't sound too upset about Mike Wallace's absence from minicamp Tuesday, but Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II appears to be less understanding.
"He should be here," Rooney said Wednesday after the team concluded its morning workout, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Wallace has yet to sign his $2.7 million tender as a restricted free agent. If he doesn't sign by June 15, the Steelers can slash the offer by $2 million, though the team isn't expected to exercise that right.
Tomlin said he'd prefer Wallace to be with teammates but isn't worried about his leading receiver missing the conditioning aspect of team activities.
"Mike has always been guy who's in tip-top condition over a 12-month calendar since we had him," Tomlin said. "He's a sharp guy. I'm sure he's working at the learning element of it. But there's no substitute for being here and being around your teammates and learning the nuances and learning from other people's mistakes."
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger expects to see Wallace at training camp in July.
"I know Mike will be here. It's just a matter of when," Roethlisberger said, via ESPN.com. "We keep in contact with Mike. We love Mike. We want him here and we need him here. And we'll get him here. But the guys that are here are doing a great job."
Both sides have interest in a long-term deal, and the team's decision not to cut or pull the offer is an act of good faith. Rooney's comments show the frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
