Irsay on not retaining Reggie Wayne: 'We felt it was time'

PHOENIX – For all the countless conversations Jim Irsay and Reggie Wayne have had over the years, all that time spent commemorating the highs and lamenting the lows, they had never had a conversation like this one.

This was a few weeks ago in South Florida, where Wayne, the Colts all-time great, makes his offseason home. Irsay, the team's owner, traveled there to have, in person, the most gut-wrenching conversation he'd ever had with Wayne, who happens to be one of the best players he's ever employed.

"Him and I had a very long talk, face-to-face, man-to-man," Irsay said Monday at the NFL's owners meetings, his first public comments since parting ways with Wayne earlier this month. "It was really hard."

The specifics of that conversation went a little like this.

"I told Reggie I just thought that we felt that it was time," Irsay said.

As in, time for the Colts to move on. Time for someone else to do the job Wayne did for 14 seasons. After 14,345 receiving yards, 1,070 receptions and 82 touchdown celebrations, it was time.

"It was very difficult because I have so much respect for what he's done for the Colts and for the game itself," Irsay said. "He truly is a Hall of Fame caliber player.

"That era from Peyton (Manning's) era and Edgerrin (James) and Marvin (Harrison) and Reggie and everyone, it's hard to let that era go because it was so special. But at the same time, in terms of the direction we thought the team had to go in, it was tough."

What direction is that?

A direction toward, the Colts hope, a championship. And that, Irsay said, required an unemotional evaluation of every player on the roster. Even once-great players like Wayne.

And when that evaluation was done, the decision was made: It was time.

"I just think that we always look at making sure we can put the best possible team on the field," Irsay said. "It's professional football. It's very competitive and it has to do with winning and losing. So you can't let affection or emotion cloud your decisions when you're building your roster. And that's what I mean. It always comes down to what's the best direction for the franchise to go. And that's the way decisions get made."

Irsay confirmed Wayne is still considering playing another season, though he remains noncommittal and Irsay could not forecast what Wayne's ultimate decision might be. That's why, Irsay said, there was no retirement celebration or anything of the sort.

Irsay, looking tan and fit, covered several other important topics during his media availability in his hotel suite at the sun-splashed Arizona Biltmore.

• Regarding the team's aggressive approach to free agency in recent weeks, Irsay said it does not mean there is a win-or-bust edict in place.

"It was a great season, two playoff wins, one on the road, being big underdogs," he said. "And at the same time, the two Patriots games, the Cowboys game, the Steelers game, left us concerned just about the consistency and really being able to get to the top, and win the Super Bowl, and finish it off. We've tried to improve the roster. It's far from a go-for-broke situation. We are very cautious with our (salary) cap. We have key players that we really want to retain over the next two years."

But, when asked later whether making aggressive moves creates expectations — the Colts signed running back Frank Gore, receiver Andre Johnson and linebacker Trent Cole, among others — Irsay admitted as much.

"You guys (the media) are going to put that on us," Irsay joked. "Fans have that expectation of course when you've gotten as far as we have. And you have this exciting aspect of adding some real veterans. We know what the expectations are."

• Regarding the status of contract talks for quarterback Andrew Luck, Irsay left the impression that no extension is likely until 2016.

"Not right now," he said. "I think that'll be a focus of next offseason. ... Andrew still has two years left, and whatever our talks are between Andrew and his people will remain confidential. It's not like we don't have conversations about a possibility, so to speak, of something. But I really think most likely the scenario is most likely going to be going into the offseason next year is when that second contract will come up. That's the vision I have right now."

Luck is under contract through the end of this season and the team is almost certain to exercise an option later this year that will trigger a fifth year, locking him up for the 2016 season as well.

• Finally, Irsay said the upcoming draft, in which the Colts have a full slate of picks, is a major opportunity for the Colts.

"We're prudent in what we've done with our spending," he said. "I still believe you build through the draft. Eight picks this year. We only had five last year. We're really interested in building through the draft. That's the way it's been. Not only that, keeping the players that you've developed into that second contract when the free agency window comes up. Again, the belief we have is you build through the draft and that's what we're going to be focused on."

Follow Star reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.