Colts plan to start contract talk with Manning after draft

The Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay recently told reporters that the team is planning to start negotiations on a new contract with star quarterback Peyton Manning after the draft, with the purpose to make Manning the highest-paid quarterback in the league.

"We know Peyton’s going to be paid, along with (New England quarterback Tom) Brady, at the top of the league," Irsay said. "But it’s really important to make sure we get a deal that for the next four, five, six years works for the franchise."

Manning had surgery March 2 to relieve pain in his neck and he is expected to wear back his No. 18 Colts jersey in time to participate fully in the team’s offseason program that begins on April 12. Besides, safety Bob Sanders and wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez are also expected to return from injury in time for training camp.

Colts want to retain MLB Brackett without franchise tag

According to the Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian, it is unlikely for the team to keep middle linebacker Gary Brackett in Colts jerseys by using the franchise tag although they hope to keep him on their roster. They could do something better before the March 5 deadline for free agency.

“We still have about 24 hours to decide what we want to do and we continue to talk,” Polian said. “I can’t tell you what we’ll do one way or the other. But as far as the franchise tag, I would think that we would not use that.”

The reason Polian offered for not using tag on Brackett was simply that they do not want to pay the nearly $9.7 million of tag amount. It’s just too much for the reigning AFC champion team, who are also going to work on a contract extension with four-time league MVP Peyton Manning. The Colts have said that they would make Manning the highest-paid quarterback in the league by offering him a contract extension. The extension has not been done because the team has to wait until the league officially announces there will be no salary cap next season.

Colts DE Freeney along with several other starters missed practice with injuries

The most important thing the Indianapolis Colts need to do now should be to make sure all the starters will be healthy enough before the Super Bowl game against the New Orleans Saints. With more a week left for the game, they still have time to make it.

Starting defensive end Dwight Freeney is one of the focuses as he has missed two consecutive days of practice because of a sprained right ankle. Good news is that Colts Coach said Freeney is coming along in his recovery and team president Bill Polian is confident that Freeney will put on his Colts jersey to play in next week’s Super Bowl games.

Other injured starters who missed Thursday practice include starting cornerback Jerraud Powers and starting safety Melvin Bullitt. Powers sat out with a left foot injury that caused him to miss Sunday’s AFC Championship game against the New York Jets, and Bullitt did not practice because of a knee injury.

Peyton Manning remains the best

Peyton Manning won his fourth MVP honor Saturday, to be the first NFL player who had ever made it. Among the 50 votes to only four players, he alone received 39 1/2. The No. 2 candidate Drew Brews received only 7 1/2, while the other two, Philip Rivers and Brett Favre, respectively received 2 and 1.

“I’m very humbled and grateful to be honored with this award and I really feel like it is a reflection of our team,” said Manning. “I have to believe that starting 14-0 and having seven comeback wins has a lot to do with this award coming our way, and I’m very grateful to all the players and the coaches and our fans, who were a big part of it. There were a number of other extremely deserving candidates.”

Throwing for 4,500 and 33 touchdowns this season, Manning led the Colts to a 14-0 record before they rested starters in the second half of two games and finished 14-2. It is also impressive that the 33-year-old quarterback has started every game in his career, 192 in the regular season and 15 in the playoffs, all in Colts jersey. Comparing to Favre, who has won three MVPs, Manning’s consistency with the team seems much more valuable. Durable and dynamic, dependable and decisive, all the words could be used to describe Manning to explain why he is the most valuable.

Colts won their 10th consecutive game by beating Ravens 17-15

The first team to beat the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts has proven not to be the Baltimore Ravens, who nevertheless became the 10th team beaten by the Colts this season.

The Colts kept Baltimore out of the end zone last Sunday and got the go-ahead field goal from kicker Matt Stover, who formerly played games in Ravens jersey, in their 19th straight win over the two seasons. By overcoming three turnovers, including two interceptions by Peyton Manning, the Colts set two NFL records: their 19-game streak is the second longest in NFL history behind the New England Patriots’ 21-game streak between 2006 and 2008; and their eight consecutive 10-win seasons ranks second behind the San Francisco 49ers’ 16 from 1983 to 1998.

Manning went 22 for 31 for 299 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, and Stover kicked a 25-yard field goal with 7:02 to go, and linebacker Gary Brackett sealed the win with an interception with 2:42 remaining. The Ravens’ last chance to have a turnover ended as Ed Reed fumbled on a punt return with 17 seconds left.

Colts WR Gonzalez is near a return

After spraining ligaments in his right knee during a season-opening 14-12 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez is now nearly ready to put on his Colts jersey and make a return during season.

Gonzalez caught 57 passes for 664 yards last season, and he was primed to take over the No. 2 receiving spot after Marvin Harrison was released in the offseason. But unfortunately the non-contact injury derailed those plans. The good news came on Thursday when Coach Jim Caldwell said that Gonzalez could practice this week.

“It’s kind of a day to day thing,” Caldwell said. “He’s been feeling really good. He has not obviously practiced to this point, but we do feel that he’s going to start shortly. When that is, I’m not certain.”

Other Colts player who are expected to return include safety Bob Sanders, who missed all of training camp, preseason and the first month of the regular season after surgery on his right knee, starting cornerback Kelvin Hayden, who missed the last three games with a left hamstring injury, and left tackle Charlie Johnson, who who sat out the Tennessee game with a left knee injury. All the three are expected to play this Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams.

Baskett will be replacement to injured Colts WR Gonzalez

The Indianapolis Colts had to choose former Eagles WR Hank Baskett to replace their starting wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, who sprained ligaments in his right knee and would have to be out for up to two months.

The third-year receiver Gonzalez was injured during the 14-12 victory over Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Coach Jim Caldwell said that he would be out longer than the Colts first feared, so they had to find a proper replacement and their choice is Baskett.

"Since Anthony's going to be out a while, hopefully we can catch him up as soon as possible," QB Peyton Manning said about Baskett. "It's a lot of offense to learn in a couple of days, but he's a veteran, so he could help us."

Baskett is 6-4, 220 pounds and is bigger than any other Indy receiver. His joining will give the Colts some intriguing possibilities. His records with the Eagles were 72 career receptions for 1,052 yards and six TDs.

Colts TE Clark is likely to miss preseason opener with concussion

Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark missed Wednesday practice and had been out of practice field for the third straight day with a slight concussion, and he is expected not to be back until Monday, so he is likely to miss Friday night's preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Besides, starting right tackle Ryan Diem also sat out Wednesday morning workout because he hurt his back. According to Colts coach Jim Caldwell, Diem would likely miss a couple of more days of practice. He would not like to try on tom brady jersey, I believe.

However, Diem’s absence will give chance to Ugoh, who has played exclusively at left tackle since the Colts drafted him in 2007 and has been demoted recently. Without Diem, Ugoh will likely step into the No. 1 spot on the right side of the line.