National Football League

Report: Dolphins land star WR Wallace

Published Mar. 12, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

Alex Marvez

The most highly sought skill-position player in free agency has a new home.

Wide receiver Mike Wallace has agreed to contract terms with Miami, the NFL Network reported.

Although there is a weak class of free-agent wideouts in 2013, Wallace is considered a blue-chip player because of his speed, upside and age (26). Wallace has the most catches of 40-plus yards in the NFL since 2009 and a career 17.2-yard average.

Wallace’s receiving numbers dipped slightly in 2012 following Pittsburgh’s change to a shorter passing game under new offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Wallace did himself no favors by missing almost the entire preseason in a contract holdout and dropping an excessive number of passes.

The Dolphins were anxious to add a speedy wide receiver to help bolster one of the NFL’s most anemic deep passing offenses in 2012. Miami also re-signed wideout Brian Hartline late last week.

The Steelers, which have salary-cap issues, opted not to use their franchise tag on Wallace. Pittsburgh also re-signed Antonio Brown to a contract extension during the 2012 preseason after negotiations with Wallace proved fruitless.