The saga of whether or not Peyton Manning will remain with the Colts took an interesting turn Tuesday, with owner Jim Irsay saying he'd like to keep the four-time NFL MVP -- but at the right price.
Nothing about Irsay's comments to The Indianapolis Star seems out of line to former Colts vice chairman Bill Polian.
"I think they're perfectly understandable given Peyton's statements last week that he would consider taking an incentive-laden contact for the future," Polian, who was fired from the team last month, said on Sirius XM NFL Radio. "Now, the big question is, can there be a meeting of the minds on what that incentive-laden contract ought to be? That's the big question, that's the one that has to be answered, and that's the only one that Peyton and Jim can answer.
How soon those discussions will begin is anybody's guess. If you're an Indianapolis Colts fan, you have perhaps a pleasant concern, because the door is open to Peyton's return."
Much has been made about whether or not the Colts want to pay Manning, who missed the entire 2011 season because of multiple neck surgeries, a $28 million option bonus March 8. And now that Irsay has answered that question by putting the ball squarely in Manning's court, the wonder is how the quarterback will take the news.
Debate: Pay cut for Peyton?
Colts owner Jim Irsay says the team wants to keep Peyton Manning ... if he'll take a pay cut. How will Peyton react? Our analysts debate. **More ...**
"I think the only response that's required is that they sit down and talk about it, and define what a restructured contract would look like," Polian said. "I've said all along, to anyone that's asked, that a) the date of March 8 can be moved by mutual agreement and b) the contract could always be restructured. Those two situations have existed from Day 1. Whether those two parties want that to happen, and whether they can make it happen, is what remains to be seen. ...
"We'll see what happens going forward, but in one sense, this is kind of a good thing, because it frames the issue quite clearly in the public mind. Both parties now have to sit down and determine what they want to do. And whatever they determine will be the right thing. There's no losers in this, I don't think."
