Bob Cook

Every champion talks of having what it takes to repeat, but the Indianapolis Colts have a better case to make than most. For instance, while he got the Super Bowl monkey off his back in January, history-conscious Peyton Manning is as aware as anyone that the overall ledger on quarterbacking immortality still reads Brady 3, Manning 1.

Also, even though Brady’s New England Patriots loaded up on offseason free agents such as Adalius Thomas, Randy Moss and Wes Welker, for the Colts those acquisitions play less like a way to re-establish AFC dominance and more like desperation moves.

But for Indianapolis and team president Bill Polian, the key is not how many you sign, but who you sign. And the Colts have enough of their offensive and defensive core locked up long enough to make at least another three or four Super Bowl runs.

After taking care of Manning and receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne a few years ago, the Colts last year also gave long-term, big-bonus deals to right tackle Ryan Diem and guard Ryan Lilja. But the bulk of the money has gone toward defense. Last year, defensive end Robert Mathis, defensive tackle Raheem Brock and linebacker Gary Brackett split $24 million in bonuses on their way to long-term deals.

And this year, in the largest deal ever for a defensive player, defensive end Dwight Freeney got a $30 million bonus as part of a six-years, $72 million contract.

Lavishing huge contracts on these players help make the Colts, in real cash terms, about $50 million over the $109.8 million salary cap, which they can circumvent because the bonuses are amortized over the length of the contract. So the Colts will break the bank for superstars, and break a little bit of bank for young up-and-comers.

NFL 2007 Team-by-team reports, predictions

But if you’re a veteran who isn’t a superstar, forget it. Figure that Freeney’s $30 million bonus could have paid for the return of cornerbacks Jason David and Nick Harper, safety Mike Doss, linebacker Cato June, defensive tackle Montae Reagor, running back Dominic Rhodes and wide receiver Brandon Stokley, all of whom left Indianapolis after the Super Bowl.

But this loss of quantity will have little effect on quality. Neither David nor Harper were shutdown corners, and for that matter, a shutdown corner isn’t needed in Coach Tony Dungy’s Cover-2 defense, in which corners turn over their receivers to the safeties once they go deep.

Interactive Key faces in new places Special feature: A look at the NFL players who should make an impact on their new teams in 2007.

Doss was a hard-hitter and still has good potential, but he has been injury-prone, including missing the final 10 games and the playoffs last year.

Potential defensive backfield replacements such as Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Antoine Bethea and Matt Giordano got significant playing time last season, so it’s not as if the Colts are having to rely on a completely green crew. (Hayden, as you’ll recall, returned an interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl, while Bethea intercepted a pass near the end zone in the Colts’ playoff victory at Baltimore.)

Reagor injured himself in a car accident after the fifth game and was replaced when the Colts acquired Booger McFarland, who himself needs to be replaced after suffering what could be a season-ending knee injury in training camp.

Rhodes started every game at running back, but Addai had the better numbers, and was expected to take over more of the offense this season no matter where Rhodes went. Stokley was injured most of last season, but the Colts successfully plugged Clark into his slot receiver spot without losing production at tight end, and anyway, they drafted Ohio State’s Anthony Gonzalez to replace him.

MORE FROM NFL

NFL Section Front

Brady vs. Manning — who has the edge? Cimini: Patriots-Colts greatest NFL rivalry of 2000s   Slideshow: Peyton vs. Brady through the years   Video: Playing 'what if?' with Peyton's career Report: Raiders want to fire coach Tom Cable Eagles-Bears matchup will remain Sunday night game PFT: Rest of league is catching up to Broncos PFT: Tomlinson hints at retiring after this season PFT: Ex-Packer Brown rips McCArthy PFT: Quinn reportedly will start for Browns again   NFL Section Front   Add NFL headlines to your news reader: