I don't think we should overdramatise our wage bill
Of the two premiership players mentioned
1: One wasplaying in league one (and a quick google search indicates wages in that league are not high)
2: The second was released from a championship club and if he didn't come here was heading to the league below
Hooper was never going to League One, far too good, just had a huge string of injuries so Sheff Wed couldn't justify taking a risk and paying him the huge wages he was on