With less than a week to go before the league's collective bargaining agreement expires, both the Colts and Peyton Manning's agent say they have made progress on a new deal for the All-Pro quarterback athough neither appears to be rushing to finish the agreement. "We're having conversations so that's a positive," Tom Condon, Manning's agent, told The Associated Press at the NFL's annual scouting combine in Indy. "But I would agree with him (Colts Vice Chairman Bill Polian) that nothing's imminent." Two weeks ago, the Colts designated Manning their exclusive franchise player, a move designed to keep him off the free-agent market. If the tag sticks, as team officials contend, Manning could not negotiate with other teams. In 2004, the Colts also gave Manning the exclusive franchise tag then signed him to a seven-year, $98 million deal and rescinded the tag. But it may not play out the same way this time. "The players association and the management council have different interpretations about whether you can franchise any player," Condon said. "We really don't know what it means, and the players don't recognize the tag." Source: NFL.com
