Colts running back Edgerrin James told the Indianapolis Star he believes his playing days in Indianapolis are over.
"I don't see nothing happening,'' James told the newspaper Thursday night. "You can read between the lines and from the things I'm hearing, nothing's going to happen.
"And that's crazy, man. I'm part of the solution, I'm not part of the problem. Crazy, man."
James is one of four Colts starters that could become unrestricted free agents this year, along with receiver Reggie Wayne, linebacker David Thornton and defensive lineman Raheem Brock.
Colts general manager Bill Polian has said the team's offseason signing priorities are retaining Wayne and working out a contract extension for defensive end Dwight Freeney.
James has taken exception to his name rarely, if ever, being mentioned among those priorities and told the paper he'll see who wants his services when the free agent signing period opens March 3.
"Maybe I'll get to a situation where somebody appreciates me," James told the Star. "I'm going to always be a ballplayer. You know I've got game. You can't knock what I do.
"I'm a running back like Walter Payton, somebody who played a long time. I'm in that mold ... guys who played 12, 13 years and always were consistent."
James, in his seventh NFL season, rushed for 1,506 yards and 13 touchdowns on 360 carries this past season and is headed to the Pro Bowl after his fourth 1,500-yard season.
The Colts were 3-13 the season before drafting James with the fourth overall pick in 1999. Indianapolis then posted a 13-3 record in James' rookie season, in which he won the first of two straight rushing titles.
"At the end of the day I can say I did my part," James told the paper. "I did what they asked me to do. At the end of the day the truth will be seen and everybody will see what kind of player I am and how important of a player I am.
"For somebody else to come in and do what I did, it would be tough. Look at the difference when I'm there and when I'm not there. That's all you got to do."
Since 1999, the Colts are 77-35 -- 70-26 when he plays, 7-9 when he doesn't, according to the Star.
The Colts had no comment on James' statements, the Star reported.
The Colts have to consider the future. They have a lot of mouths to feed and signing Edge would take a lot of their salarly room. Too much to afford to keep other areas of the team intact. Like the D, for example.
RBs are in a strange place in today's NFL. Their life expectancy is shorter than many positions and they are looked at as being much easier to replace than many other positions. Even an elite RB, as Edge, is a questionable asset when he enters the second half of his career. The Colts may very well decide it's in their better interests to try and keep their D in line then their stud RB.
A player coming out in public and squawking about unfairness is never a good sign.
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We've seen time and time again lately that signing a RB near that 30 year mark to a big contract is going to really hurt the team in about two years when that RB starts to slow down drastically but is still being paid like the best RB in the league.
I hate to say it because the man is still so good, but if the Colts were thinking a lot about the future, I don't think they would've paid Marvin Harrison, at his age, the amount of money they did. I can't see him earning his keep for the next 5 years of those contract, just too old. Perhaps if they had gone with a smaller 3-4 year deal with Harrison, they wouldn't be stuck choosing between Wayne and Edge this year.
i'm so happy that the all the nfl teams are blackballing that as$ rosenhaus....
he came to my hometown recently (right before javon dropped him as his agent) with javon walker (walker went to my highschool)...and rosenh is easily the most cocky and irritating man ive ever meet...came to the local bar and just thought we should bow down to him or something...not in this town
and if edge leaves the colts he'll still be good but he drops a spot or two probably in the rb ranks
i could see him in arizona...just cause it fits his style of offense...a throwing team just like indy..he could catch some balls and the passing game could open up running lanes...sounds better than minny at this point if ya ask me...
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by VaderFin » Fri Feb 03, 2006 10:19 am 
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