Peyton to Pathon? Not just yet
Colts' lone-holdout Manning not looking to beat Leaf's deal
Posted: Tuesday July 28, 1998 02:08 AM
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Manning's holdout has reached 5 days Jamie Squire/Allsport |
ANDERSON, Indiana (AP) -- Peyton Manning remained a holdout at
Colts training camp Monday, with team officials hoping the NFL Draft's No.
1 pick will soon be in camp. But the team's receiving corps is shaping
up now that second-round pick Jerome Pathon has started practicing.
Head coach Jim Mora confirmed the Colts resumed contract negotiations
with Manning's agent, Tom Condon, on Monday. But both sides failed to reach
agreement. Manning's holdout has reached five days. Bill Polian,
president of the Colts, said by telephone Monday night he will meet Tuesday
in Indianapolis with Condon in hopes of reaching an agreement. Manning
says he's not looking for a better deal than that landed by No. 2 pick Ryan
Leaf, but he hopes Leaf's contract helps him get an agreement with the
Colts soon. "Maybe that will jump start things a little," Manning
told the Indianapolis Star Monday as his holdout from the Colts
training camp reached five days. "I'm always hopeful, but I'll have a
little better idea of what's going on after Tom and Bill meet. Right now
it's really out of my hands." The talks come two days after Leaf
reached agreement on his five-year, $31.25 million deal, which includes an
$11.25 million signing bonus. Although Polian and Condon never said so, it
was believed they would wait for the Leaf deal to be finalized to give them
a better framework for negotiations. Manning and Leaf were the first
quarterbacks picked at the top of the draft since Drew Bledsoe and
Rick Mirer went
1-2 to New England and Seattle in 1993. But more now than Bledsoe
and Mirer's contracts four years ago, the two deals are tied together
because of the amounts of money involved; the difference in free agency;
and the rivalry between the two agents. Condon is head of football
operations for International Management Group, and Leigh Steinberg, Leaf's
agent, represents more than one-third of the NFL's starting quarterbacks.
Polian said while he had been seeking to tie up Manning for longer,
Leaf's five-year contract made the Colts more willing to accept a five-year
contract, too. Manning said he isn't determined to best Leaf's deal.
"That's not what we're after. This is something that has to be done
the right way," he said. The de facto Colts' starter right now is Kelly Holcomb, a
career third-stringer. Indianapolis has already awarded the starting job to
Manning and he needs every snap he can take with the exhibition season set
to start in less than two weeks and the regular season on September 6.
Manning has had the advantage of minicamps, preseason camps, and hours of
studying tapes and playbooks. Some players can do that. Marcus Nash,
Denver's No. 1 pick, took part in his first practice after signing with the
Broncos on Monday and caught a long touchdown pass from John Elway in a
scrimmage. But quarterbacks have it tougher. Rarely do studying and
non-contact minicamp drills substitute for work with pads on. For instance,
in 1983, Elway's rookie season, he struggled for most of the year picking
up coverages that are less complex than NFL teams now play. Pathon,
a 6-foot, 187-pounder from Washington, officially signed Sunday night and
worked out with the team for the first time on Monday. "Jerome
is a good football player," Colts coach Jim Mora said. "We need a little
help at receiver, and he upgrades us there. He's got a good future ahead of
him." Pathon comes off a spectacular senior year at Washington,
where his 69 receptions for 1,245 yards are school records for a
season. Mora said Pathon will also be used on kickoff and punt
returns. With Pathon in camp, Manning remains the only unsigned
Colts draft pick. Pathon said his three-day holdout caused him
to fall behind in learning the playbook, as well as getting his timing down
on pass patterns with the quarterback. The Colts are counting
heavily on rookies to upgrade their offense. Manning has already been named
the starter once he signs. And the Colts are expecting to give Pathon and
third-round pick, E.G. Green from Florida State, a lot of
opportunities. "Its important for rookies to work on their
timing," Pathon said. "Especially for Peyton. He's working with the
veterans and the rookies." For the second straight day, outside
linebacker Quentin Coryatt
has been a no show. Coryatt, who has been bothered by a chest injury, left
camp after the Sunday morning practice and has not contacted Mora
since. "I haven't heard from Quentin," Mora said. "He's
MIA." Coryatt's agent, Steve Zucker, contacted Colts President
Bill Polian Monday. But a reason for Coryatt's absence was not given.
Coryatt started 15 games in 1997 and has been a starting outside
linebacker for the Colts since 1993. The seven-year veteran did not give
any indication if or when he will return to the team. "I'm not
frustrated at all," Mora said. "I really don't have a feeling on it one way
or the other." Also not at camp Monday was 11-year veteran
linebacker Jeff
Herrod, who had an excused absence for personal reasons. Mora said
Herrod should practice on Tuesday.
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