NFL ROUNDUP: Wallace stays with Steelers, Senate OK's plan for Vikes' stadium

Free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace is staying with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

No team offered Wallace an offer sheet by Friday's deadline, ESPN reported.

The Steelers could have franchised Wallace for $9.5 million, but instead took a chance on letting Wallace test the free agent waters. The gamble paid off as the team placed a first-round tender on the receiver worth $2.7 million, a savings of nearly $7 million.

Wallace has until June 15 to sign the tender or else the team can drop it to $577,500.

Pittsburgh would like to sign Wallace to a multi-year deal, according to ESPN.

Because he has not signed, Wallace has not reported to the team's offseason workouts.

Wallace led the team last year with 72 catches for 1,193 yards with eight touchdowns.

--Just hours after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell visited the Minnesota state Capitol to lobby for a new stadium for the Vikings on Friday, the state's Senate panel voted in favor of a plan to build a nearly $1 billion stadium in downtown Minneapolis.

The panel voted 8-6 in favor of the project, giving it new life after previous plans idled.

Sen. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake, who voted against the plan, said on Friday that the Vikings' chances for a new stadium improved.

"They're better with every committee, because the bill becomes more well known and gets more refined," he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

An earlier version of the stadium plan stalled, but the latest one will probably go to another Senate panel early next week, according to the newspaper.

The latest version of the plan includes financing of $427 million coming from the Vikings, $398 million from the state of Minnesota and $150 million from the city of Minneapolis.

Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, the chief Senate author of the stadium bill, said Goodell's visit helped.

A change to the newest version of the plan includes a 10 percent surcharge on stadium suites that are bought or rented for Vikings games. That team opposes the tax.

Vikings vice president Lester Bagley said it violates the agreement that the team would finance $427 million toward the project.

--New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma restructured his contract, even though he is likely to be suspended for several games for his role in the team's "bounty" program.

NFL.com reported that Vilma is expected to be suspended two to eight games and that the Saints have been stocking up on free agent linebackers in anticipation of Vilma's suspension.

Terms of Vilma's new deal with the Saints were undisclosed.

Jeff Pash, the league's executive vice president and general counsel, said on Friday that player punishments were coming for those involved in the "bounty" program.

Vilma, a three-time Pro Bowler, can play all three linebacker positions. But the team has already recently signed David Hawthorne and Curtis Lofton in case Vilma receives a hefty suspension. Lofton mostly plays middle linebacker, the same position Vilma usually plays.

The suspensions could be announced next week.

--The Atlanta Falcons have said no to HBO.

The team turned down an offer to be featured on "Hard Knocks," the HBO reality series that follows an NFL team during training camp and the preseason, according to ESPN.com.

HBO and the team reportedly had serious talks about appearing on the show, but the Falcons decided to keep their focus on the field.

The cable network may turn its attention toward the New York Jets or Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jets were the focus of "Hard Knocks" in 2010 and team owner Woody Johnson said the exposure was good for the franchise. ESPN speculated that the Jets' tumultuous offseason and the trade for quarterback Tim Tebow could entice HBO to feature them again.

Johnson said there were informal talks with HBO earlier this month but would not pride further details.

"We can't react to anything unless it's a real invitation," he said.

No formal invitations have been made as of April 11, ESPN.com reported.

The Jaguars are also thought to be interested in being featured on the show since they have had trouble selling tickets over the years and could use a publicity boost.

--Former Atlanta Falcons defensive back Ray Easterling committed suicide on Thursday. He was 62.

Easterling died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his Richmond, Va., home, Fox Sports reported.

He was found by his wife, Mary Ann Easterling, who called the police at 6:14 a.m. on Thursday.

The Falcons confirmed the death to Fox Sports but did not release further details.

Easterling was one of the first former players to sue the NFL over concussions sustained while playing football.

For two decades, Easterling had bouts of depression and insomnia, believed to be linked to repeated head trauma. He underwent 25 orthopedic surgeries, including a hip replacement.

He was also recently diagnosed with dementia, Mary Ann Easterling told Fox Sports.

"He had been feeling more and more pain," she said. "He felt like his brain was falling off. He was losing control. He couldn't remember things from five minutes ago. It was frightening, especially somebody who had all the plays memorized as a player when he stepped on the field."

Easterling started for the Falcons from 1974-77.