 |
 |
 |
|
ANDERSON, Ind. (July 23, 1998) -- Status quo prevailed in the on-going talks between the Indianapolis Colts and the agent for top draft pick Peyton Manning. "We met (Thursday) and we'll meet again (today)," Tom Condon, Manning's agent, said Thursday evening. Condon said he and Colts president Bill Polian talked for nearly four hours on Thursday, but were unable to agree on a contract for Manning, the first overall pick in the April draft who already has been named the team's starting quarterback. Manning is prohibited from reporting to training camp at Anderson University until he signs what will be the richest rookie contract in league history. The team will go through its initial workout this afternoon. Polian was unavailable for comment and Condon declined to discuss the issues that are keeping the two sides apart. The anticipated enormity of Manning's deal -- the total worth along with a signing bonus that could approach $11 million -- obviously is requiring tedious dialogue. Asked if the two sides were making any progress, Condon replied, "If continuing to talk is making progress, then we're making progress. Hopefully we'll make some more (progress) tomorrow." Aware that he would be opening his first training camp with the Colts minus his starting quarterback, coach Jim Mora remained upbeat. His optimism was rooted in Manning's contract being finalized sooner rather than later. "If Peyton misses a couple of days, I don't think that's going to be a major problem. If it gets into an extended period of time, then it could be a problem. But I don't think that's going to happen." Center Jay Leeuwenburg said Manning's noted offseason work habits, coupled with his allowable participation with the team -- two minicamps, summer school, other assorted contact -- laid a solid foundation for his rookie season. But Leeuwenburg hopes Manning's absence is brief. "The longer he holds out, the harder camp is going to be on everybody else," he said. "The coaches' pucker factor is going to get up there and that's going to be tough on all of us. "But seriously, the number of days he isn't here, nobody will hold that against him. He has never come in here with an attitude. Nobody doubts he wants to be here." Colts sign four Two more draft picks and two veterans signed contracts Thursday. Guard Steve McKinney, the team's fourth-round pick, and center/guard Aaron Taylor, one of two seventh-rounders, signed their first contracts. Terms were not available. With those two under wraps, the Colts have three unsigned draft picks -- Manning, second-round pick Jerome Pathon and fifth-rounder Antony Jordan. Signing one-year contracts were fullbacks Clif Groce, an exclusive rights free agent, and Zack Crockett, a restricted free agent whose deal is worth $804,000. Heavy investment in Poole The Colts have made a substantial investment in cornerback Tyrone Poole, acquired in a trade with Carolina on Wednesday. He was in the final year of a four-year contract, but signed an extension through 2002 that could pay him $20 million. The new contract for Poole, a first-round pick of the Panthers in 1995, includes a $2.44 million signing bonus and base salaries of $216,000 this year, $2.5 million in '99, $2 million in 2000, $2.5 million in 2001 and $1.344 million in 2002. It also has four roster bonuses to be paid on March 1 beginning in 1999 for $2 million, $3 million, $2 million and $2 million. Even if the Colts were to release Poole prior shelling out the first roster bonus on March 1, 1999, he will have earned $2.656 million. That's more than triple what he was scheduled to earn with Carolina. |