<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Regardless of how the Corey Simon saga is resolved, it will remain a hefty financial investment for the Indianapolis Colts.Team president Bill Polian said Monday the team still is gathering information regarding the health of the veteran defensive tackle and has yet to make a decision on his status for the 2007 season. However, the Colts have been unsuccessful in an attempt to recover an $8 million option bonus paid Simon prior to last season as part of the five-year, $30 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2005.Polian described the decision as a "procedural issue'' determined by a similar case involving former Denver wide receiver Ashley Lelie. Based on language in the new labor agreement, the Broncos were unable to recover an option bonus paid to Lelie. A special master ruled in Lelie's favor in November, and a March appeal affirmed that decision.The Colts had filed documents seeking repayment from Simon, but the Lelie decision rendered the team's actions invalid. The Colts and the league had agreed to abide by the outcome of the Lelie situation.Two additional grievances involving the Colts and Simon are expected to be heard in June. They center around the team's decisions to place Simon on the league's non-football illness/injury list last October because of an undisclosed illness and not pay him $1.9 million of his $2.5 million base salary.Repeated attempts to contact Simon and his agent, Roosevelt Barnes, have been unsuccessful.The team has been noncommittal regarding Simon's status. Signs indicate he has played his final game in Indy. The most telling might have occurred when the Colts were in Miami for Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears.During daily gatherings with the media, every player under contract was made available, including those on the injured reserve list (Brandon Stokley, Montae Reagor, Mike Doss, etc.). Simon, who resides in Tallahassee, Fla., was an exception.Also, owner Jim Irsay isn't happy he has gotten so little return on such a large investment. Including bonuses and base salaries, the Colts have paid Simon more than $14 million. He did not play last season after undergoing surgery on his left knee during training camp and reportedly battling polyarthritis. In 2005, Simon started 13 regular-season games and finished with 41 tackles."There is no question we have put a tremendous amount of money in this man,'' Irsay said, declining to publicly address whether Simon will be released in the coming weeks. "That's the reality of free agency.''Here's another: If the team parts ways with Simon, who is scheduled to count $7.055 million against the team's $109 million salary cap, he will remain a financial liability.At the very least, the team would have to count the remaining portion of bonuses paid to Simon against the cap. That's approximately $9 million. A possible scenario is for the Colts to release Simon, and split the remaining portion between the '07 (approximately $3 million) and '08 ($6 million) salary caps."Whether Corey comes back and plays or whether some other resolution takes place, the fact is it has cost us a lot of money for not a lot of production,'' Polian said.</div>
Yeah, pretty much. Simon hasn't been able to stay healthy, and when he was he wasn't even that great.
I know, what a huge let down for the team and the fans. I knew Cory was not coming back after sitting the season out like that and then demanding to get paid for it. However, after watching Booger do his thing, I could not help to wonder how those two would work together on the line. It could have been devastating to the opposing offensive lines.
