Has Mike Wallace already played his final game for the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Hip and hamstring issues will keep the wide receiver out of the lineup for Sunday's season finale against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Steelers announced Saturday that Wallace had been placed on injured reserve.
The injury brings a premature close to a frustrating season for Wallace, who's eligible to become a free agent. Wallace sat out all of training camp over a contract dispute and can hit the open market if the Steelers choose not to use their franchise tag on him.
"I don't know. We'll see," Wallace said Friday when asked if he'd re-sign with the Steelers, according to The Associated Press. "But I've got big plans. No matter what the situation is, I've definitely got big plans for myself and my family."
Wallace finishes the season with 64 receptions for 836 yards and eight touchdowns. Arguably the game's best pure speed receiver, Wallace saw his yards-per-catch average drop in three consecutive years -- from 21.0 to 16.6 to 13.1.
Despite that statistical decline, Wallace remains explosive and, at just 26, smack in the prime of his career. The Steelers might not want to give him the long-term contract he covets, but there will be a team looking to add a home-run dimension to its offense.
If paired with the right offense and quarterback, Wallace is as good an option as anyone in the NFL.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
