Jim Irsay has compiled a pretty good list of candidates for the Colts’ general manager opening, as all six candidates are well-respected and smart personnel guys.

He’ll apparently be interviewing most (if not all) of the candidates this week at the Senior Bowl, which should help the process go along faster. As Irsay is interviewing candidates and figuring out who the next GM of the Colts is going to be, he’s consulting a pretty valuable source.

According to the Indianapolis Star’s Stephen Holder, Irsay is still consulting with former Colts president and GM Bill Polian as he conducts the search. Wrote Holder:

It’s not entirely clear whether Polian is sitting in on interviews, but Irsay continues to seek his counsel as he considers this key hire. And this is a very good thing. Obviously, Irsay will make the ultimate call. But having a trusted voice like Polian’s to challenge Irsay’s thinking and to raise relevant questions can only help.

Irsay admitted during his press conference last weekend that he’s turned to Polian for advice. “Him and I have talked a great deal, we’re great friends,” Irsay said. “Maybe he’ll send me a consultant fee, I’m not sure. I hope not. He’s been great. I think he’s comfortable in his gold jacket, but he’s been very, very helpful in terms of us talking. We always love talking football together.”

Consulting with Polian can only be good news for Irsay, the Colts, and their GM search process. Though the last GM Polian recommended to the Colts in the later years of his tenure wasn’t good (Chris Polian), there are few in NFL history who have had the level of experience and expertise that Bill Polian has had during his career as GM of the Bills, Panthers, and Colts. He’s a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is considered perhaps the greatest executive in league history, and he obviously did incredible work in Indianapolis. So Jim Irsay consulting with Polian is a logical thing to do, and it should help the search as well.

At the end of the day, it will be Jim Irsay making the call on the Colts’ next GM. But having someone like Bill Polian to help is a good thing for both Irsay and the Colts.