Colts team president Bill Polian showed up to the Red Sox-Orioles game at Fenway Park Saturday night. He spoke with Boston’s WEEI radio station and touched on the impact of Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations on extensions for veteran contract-year quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Polian’s own, Peyton Manning.
“It’s bound to have some effect,” Polian said. “What we don’t know is what the system is going forward. We’ve been going slowly along with [Manning’s agent] Tom Condon because we’re trying to formulate some things that will fit no matter what the system is.”
The good news? The sides are talking. The bad news, from a Colts’ fan perspective? No extension for Manning sounds imminent.
“We can’t get into the nitty-gritty because we don’t know what the rules will be,” added Polian. “And that will clarify itself as the year goes on because there will be talks, people will understand what’s on the table and what’s not on the table. It’s not like you’re going to get [a new CBA] in October, I don’t think. If that happens it would be great. But at least you can get a feel for the way things are going.”
So it sounds like Polian isn’t planning to extend Manning’s contract before the season, necessarily. The Colts are going to wait, try to feel out the NFLPA and owners’ stance on matters such as salary cap proration and acceleration, and then proceed from there.
Allowing Manning to enter the 2010 season unextended may seem like a risky maneuver on the Colts’ behalf, but even in a worst-case scenario they could franchise tag the 10-time Pro Bowler.
Bottom line? Manning isn’t going anywhere.