Structure the problem

The Colts want to pay Peyton, but how?

The problem: With an uncapped 2010 season and no collective bargaining agreement to guide teams in 2011 and beyond, Polian must figure out how to structure the deal so it doesn’t leave the Colts at a disadvantage — and do it almost blindly.

“Everybody’s in the same boat. Players are in the same boat, clubs are in the same boat,” Polian said. “None of us know what’s involved and what the system will be like going forward. When that’s resolved, those other situations will resolve themselves.”

Polian, who helped create the league’s salary cap in the 1990s, has been a master at crunching numbers. The list of Indy players with contract values of $30 million or more include Manning, Dwight Freeney, Reggie Wayne, Bob Sanders, Robert Mathis and Kelvin Hayden. Manning, of course, has the richest contract — $98 million.

Unlike other teams that have struggled to remain competitive with a glut of high-priced stars, Polian has managed to find low-priced help in the draft and in free agency, and nobody can quibble with the results.