So what is the difference between the language that describes the window between “the second day after the Super Bowl and the fourth day before the end of the 2011 league year” and “the second day before the end of the 2011 league year”?

If the money can be paid any time between 2-days-post-SB and 4-days-pre-EoLY, then the implication seems to be that it *can’t* be paid outside of that window… which a 2-day-pre-EoLY deadline would describe.

In effect, I think the difference is that the Colts must pay Peyton before the 8th (the 4th-day-pre-EoLY), even if they have until Friday @ 4:00 (the business-effective 2nd-day-pre-EoLY) to decide to cut him. Since the money isn’t affirmatively earned until the 2nd-day-pre-EoLY, Peyton would have to then turn around and repay the money if the Colts decided to part ways.

I guess what I’m getting at is that this doesn’t change anything. If they don’t pay him by Thursday, the language of the contract seems to say that they cannot pay him, so that is effectively the termination of the contract. On the other hand, they could pay him and then still cut him within 24 hours… as unlikely as that is. I can’t see the Colts paying the $28 million just to have another 24 hours (from Thursday the 8th @ 4PM to Friday the 9th @ 4PM) to think about what they want to do.

If they don’t pay him by the 8th, we’ll know he’s gone.
If they *do* pay him, we won’t be sure that he’s staying until the 9th (@ 4PM).

Mike, can you confirm this interpretation? Or clarify?

They can’t pay the $28m and trade him. It would cost them $38m against the cap. That would be 1/3 of the cap tied to someone who doesn’t even play for them. Only options are to pay it and keep him (would count about $17m against the cap), cut him ($10m against the cap), or renegotiate.

Of course, you know that I know that you know that no one will offer anything, but still…

Irsay was pretty well-liked for his openness until this situation. What I can recall:

“We’ll play him if he is healthy” leads to:
-Bill Polian endorsing Manning’s abilities
-Video clip being released on the net

“This will be a family decision, not a business decision”
-Huh?
-Would not make me feel good as a fan of this team staring at another potential 10yr franchise option or boatload of cash & cap wrapped up in QB position.

“This should not be discussed in the media, it should be in-house”
-IE: unless I want to take something in-house & bring it into the media…..

I’m kind of sick of the these so-called “leaders” who hold a public discourse on what they may or may not do on a decision……..then obviously monitor information channels to try to predict what reactions might be.

Are you going to pay Manning & then dump a bunch of money to put talent around him to make a run……or re-build with Luck?

Irsay needs to stop being a total Sally and cut Manning already! Man-up! What more information do you need to help you make a decision? Playing the waiting game only makes you look like a wimp. Just come out and tell the avg fan that it’s time to move on & focus on the future, not the accomplishments of the past.

It does not make economic or competitive sense to have both Luck & Manning. You don’t want to risk investing more into Manning & making a run with him in his older/fragile state. Makes sense, so man up & move on.

Now he can move on to Miami where it will get really undignified under all those losses.

These recent signings make me think maybe they’re going to keep things intact for a while longer.