Colts Gab

The architect of the ultra-successful Indianapolis Colts teams you’ve seen on the field for the past decade or so will be around for a while longer; according to the Associated Press, the Colts have signed team president Bill Polian to a contract extension through the 2011 season. Colts owner Jim Irsay confirmed through a spokesman on Wednesday that an extension was, in fact, finalized. Under Polian’s watch beginning in 1998, the Colts have posted a 105-55 regular season win-loss record over the past 10 seasons, reached the playoffs 8 times and won the Super Bowl after the 2006 season.

Some of the draft choices made by Polian include quarterback Peyton Manning, running backs Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai, wide receiver Reggie Wayne, defensive end Dwight Freeney and safety Bob Sanders. Polian also tasted success while as a member of the Buffalo Bills, with his teams reaching the Super Bowl 3 times.

While this time of the year is always chock full of rumors and speculation, one such rumor that is making the rounds is that the Colts may actually look at unloading all-time great wide out Marvin Harrison. The veteran will be 36 years old in August, and is coming off a tough season in which a left knee injury held him to just playing in a handful of games and the other 11 games he was on the bench. He also has a whopping contract right now, making $7.6 million per season for the next four years.

Harrison signed a $67 million dollar extension back in December of 2004, and with the injury he is trying to come back from, there is plenty of doubt that he won’t be the same player he was when he and Peyton Manning were putting up record numbers year after year around the league. Harrison has now taken a back seat to Manning’s real favorite target – Reggie Wayne, and possibly even to up and coming 2nd year wide out Anthony Gonzalez.

Pro Football Weekly says that even with Harrison possibly not ready to go for camp but likely on the field for the start of the season, the team will probably keep him around, but if they can get a wide out in the draft and groom him to be a fit in the offense, Harrison’s job in 2009 seems to be a lot more in doubt than it does in 08.

The Colts and defensive end Josh Thomas have come to terms on a one-year deal according to the Indy Star.  The paper is reporting that his role on the D-line will likely be what it was, meaning that he will be the third end behind both Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.  Thomas was an unrestricted free agent, but as the Colts like to do, they signed one of their own instead of going out and having to grab a guy off the market or developing a player through the draft.  Thomas has been in 52 games in his career, with 137 tackles and six sacks.

A law firm is suing the organization in charge of managing the RCA Dome over how proceeds of a memorabelia auction are being distributed.  Roberts and Bishop law firm of Indianapolis wants money generated from the auction of dome seats and turf to pay down existing debt.  Attorney Paul Ogden says good intentions do not qualify as a reason to violate the law.  The non-profit Indiana Sports Corporation and the Indianapolis Colts Foundation have been slated to split the proceeds. 

The Marion County Capital Improvement Board has breached its fiduciary responsibility in the agreement, according to the suit.  Ogden says a public dialogue is needed to determine the best course of action.  Hundreds of thousands of dollars could be raised by auctioning large stadium items and selling others.  The outstanding RCA Dome debt has been folded into debt for the new Lucas Oil Stadium.  The lawsuit asks for an immediate injunction requiring profits to paid into the Clerk of the Court until a decision on the case is made.

Now that Jake Scott is going to line up against the Colts twice a season with the Titans, who is going to replace him on the O-line?  Pro Football Weekly is reporting that one player that may have the inside track on the spot is Dylan Gandy.  Word is Gandy was supposed to be the starter back in his rookie season of 2005, but a foot injury kept him from doing so.  He played well in 11 games back in 2006 when playing for the injured Ryan Lilja.  From the sounds of it, Gandy now will be the starting guard opposite Lilja once the camps start getting set for the 08 season.

The Colts are going to have a decision to make, as the  Bengals have announced that they have signed Colts tight end Ben Utecht to an offer sheet.  Utecht is a restricted free agent, tendered at the lowest level.   Because he was not drafted, the Colts will receive no compensation if they choose not to match the terms of the long-term deal that he has negotiated with the Bengals.  The Colts already have Dallas Clark, who they signed to the biggest TE deal in NFL history recently, so breaking the bank in anyway, shape or form for Utecht is going to be tough to do.  The team has seven days to match the offer, or they can announce they won’t and let Utecht go.

While the Colts have not picked up any players so far in free agency, it did’t stop them from dumping a few players on Saturday evening, releasing linebacker Rob Morris and DT Anthony McFarland.  Both players are damaged goods, as they spent a lot of time last year on the sidelines with injuries.  Morris was a first-round pick of the Colts in 2000, and after some productive seasons spent the last 12 regular season games and the teams playoff game on the sideline with a knee injury.

McFarland was acquired from the Bucs in a deal in 2006, and after playing well during the teams Super Bowl run two years ago, was hurt in camp last Summer and missed the whole season.  He was paid $5.5 mil last season and was set to make a whopping $6.8 this year.