The Facts: Manning insisted today that he isn’t driven by the desire to be the NFL’s highest-paid player and has no interest in being the reason the Indianapolis franchise is unable to make various roster moves. His desire is to finalize a long-term contract – sooner, not later – that ensures the Colts are able to field a championship-caliber team, he said. “I’m willing to take less than they’ve offered if they are going to take that money to keep players we need to keep and go get other players," Manning said. "All I want is for them to have the cap and the cash to keep the players they want to keep and to sign other players."

Diehards Line:Manning also instructed owner Jim Irsay, team president Polian and agent Tom Condon to get the contract done. Now. “Today, tomorrow, definitely by Sunday,’’ he said. ... It’s believed Irsay has offered Manning a multi-year deal worth approximately $20 million per year. It’s been reported that Manning is seeking something closer to $25 million annually. The latter figures, insisted Manning, aren’t accurate. “That was never from me,’’ he said. ... Meanwhile, the Colts announced today that Manning's surgically-repaired neck "continues to progress, but there is no timetable for his return to unrestricted activity.” No real surprise there. We'll follow up as needed.