Kelvin Hayden re-signs with Colts

[CaptainHook]

The Indianapolis Colts addressed one of their primary offseason concerns Wednesday by signing cornerback Kelvin Hayden to a five-year contract worth approximately $43 million.

 

"Needless to say, Kelvin is very happy,'' Fletcher Smith, Hayden's agent, said Wednesday night. "The (contract) just made a lot of sense for us.''

 

The deal includes more than $22 million in guarantees, will pay Hayden about $29 million in the first three years and carries a 2009 salary-cap number of between $6 million and $7 million. He would have become an unrestricted free agent Feb. 27, although team president Bill Polian recently said the team likely would have used the franchise tag to keep Hayden.

 

Smith described discussions with the Colts as "a whirlwind" that "came together quickly at the end."

 

The key, he added, was convincing the Colts to include $29 million in the first three years of the contract.

 

Hayden, 25 and the team's 2005 second-round draft pick, has started 26 regular-season games over the past two seasons. He has had three interceptions in each of the past two years and added one against the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI, returning it 56 yards in the fourth quarter to clinch the 29-17 victory.

 

By not having to use the franchise tag on Hayden, the Colts still could affix it to center Jeff Saturday if they can make that one-year tender -- $8.45 million -- work under the projected 2009 salary cap of $123 million. Saturday is one of nine Colts eligible to become a free agent at the end of the month.

 

from Indy Star 02/19/09

[keggerz]

wrong forum

[BeeR]

whew.

 

Saturday is the key to the OL and a great one, but I wonder if they can afford him -

 

I just hope they re-sign their DTs! Oh wait that's right, they don't have any.