Tom James
Tribune-Star Correspondent
CRAWFORDSV ILLE —
The uncertainty of what lies ahead in the National Football League is probably one of the biggest reasons why a pair of veteran Indianapolis Colts starters — wide receiver Reggie Wayne and defensive end Robert Mathis — are hoping to restructure their current contracts.
Wayne, Mathis and safety Antoine Bethea have not taken part in the first two days of the Colts’ three-day mandatory minicamp. And all three aren’t expected to participate in this morning’s final workout. The upcoming season marks the final year of the current collective bargaining agreement between the league and the National Football League Players Association.
The specter of a labor lockout by National Football League owners after the 2010 season is making things tough for players and front office personnel, such as Indianapolis team president Bill Polian.
“We’re not in a regular environment, that’s the problem,” Polian told ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky. “I’ve spoken to both [Wayne and Mathis] their agents, and I certainly respect both men and they make a good case. But the problem is we don’t have a system, and without a system you don’t know where contracts might or might not fit.
“I don’t speculate on what things might be. They are what they are, that’s the only environment in which you can live.”
Wayne is scheduled to make $5.47 million this season and $5.95 million next season. He has two years left on his contract. Mathis has two years remaining on his $30 million contract he signed in 2006. He’s due a base salary of $2.31 million this season and $2.4 million in 2011.
“It’s a jigsaw puzzle, and as one piece fits in then another falls in place and another falls in place,” he said. “So the question is, what are the basic concepts and then where you go from there? What does one piece do to all the other pieces? That’s the difficulty. You can’t predict that, no one knows what it will be. No one knows until the parties sit down and hammer it out what it will be. And a small, little piece over here could change the whole complexion of things,” Polian explained.
“So it’s futile to plan beyond just baseline kind of planning because you don’t know what the final product is going to look like.”
n Manning talks yet to begin — Colts owner Jim Irsay said a few months ago that he expected to make quarterback Peyton Manning the highest paid player in the NFL. Manning is heading into the final year of his current contract.
Polian, though, said that talks with Tom Condon, Manning’s agent, have yet to begin.
“We’ll sit down and talk and as we go forward, we’ll figure out the various moving pieces and parts and we’ll see which way we go,” Polian said. “We’ll talk, but there is no timetable. I don’t put any timetable on it and neither has Jim Irsay. Tom and I have always handled those things.”
n Hayden reaches out to Jackson — Colts cornerback Kelvin Hayden said Saturday that he has tried to get in contact with former Indianapolis cornerback Marlin Jackson, who ruptured an Achilles tendon in his right leg during a recent organized team activity practice with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jackson missed the last two seasons with the Colts after suffering injuries to both knees in practice. A restricted free agent after the 2009 season, he was not offered a contract by Indianapolis.
“I tried to call him after I heard what happened,” Hayden said. “But I wasn’t able to get in contact with him. So I texted him and told him that I was around if he wanted to talk. Marlin texted me back after that and said that he appreciated that I had written him. He said that he would call me later and we would talk.”
Jackson was selected in the first round of the 2005 draft by the Colts. Hayden was the team’s second-round pick that year.
n McCleskey picks off Manning — Former Indiana State safety Donye’ McCleskey made his presence felt during Saturday’s minicamp practice at Lucas Oil Stadium.
McCleskey intercepted a pass thrown by Manning late in the day’s workout, which drew a pretty good crowd to the facility.
After the play, Colts defensive coordinator Larry Coyer went over and offered a celebratory slap on the back to McCleskey.
nSitting out — Several Indianapolis players did not take part in Saturday’s open house practice. Watching the workout from the sidelines were defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Ervin Baldwin, cornerbacks Jerraud Powers and Hayden, rookie defensive tackle Ricardo Mathews, veteran defensive tackle Antonio Johnson, defensive tackle J.D. Skolnitsky, and tight ends Tom Santi and Jacob Tamme. Also sitting out were offensive guard Jamey Richard, offensive tackle/guard Tony Ugoh, safety Melvin Bullitt, wide receivers Anthony Gonzalez and John Matthews, running back Donald Brown and rookie kick-returner Brandon James.
