Love him or hate him, Bill Polian is one good judge of football players. His genius has kept the Colts near the top of the NFL for several years. He knows what to look for in a player, not just in terms of talent, but in character. He can read a players potential and know what role he will play in what seems to most of us a giant guessing game. How does he know what Player X, Y and Z will be able to do and how they will help the team? Now, I don’t agree with every decision he makes, but you really can’t argue with his track record. Most wins in the last decade, playoff appears in nine of the last 10 years, seven consecutive seasons with at least 12 wins. I mean that’s impressive. Only a few more Super Bowl wins could make this any better. With his current contract due to expire in 2011 and retirement looming in the distance, I guess his future is in the hands of the team owner, Jim Irsay.

Well, Mr. Irsay likes to plan for the future. He likes to ensure that once a change is needed or necessary, the transition is a smooth one. Much like he did a few years ago, with the Head Coach’s position with Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell, he is making sure the future of his General Manger is a similar one. Now, I don’t see Bill Polian retiring anytime soon. But when he does, his son, Chris Polian, will continue his legacy. This past season, the younger Polian was promoted to Vice President and General Manager.

He followed his father to the Colts to become the Director of Pro Scouting in 1998 and continued this role through 2000. He then held the title of Assistant Director of Football Operations from 2001 through 2004. His next promotion was to Assistant General Manger/Football Operations in 2004 and has been serving as Vice President of Football Operations for the past five years. During the last few years, he has been contacted to interview for General Manager positions for three or four teams. But he never was serious about leaving and now he doesn’t have to. At 38, he will presumably assume the General Manager role in a few years, when his father decides to retire.

Now to some of you this is new information, to the rest, it’s old news. But I want to explain the significance of this plan, especially since the combine is over and the draft is just a short six weeks away. This is the Colts strong suit, finding players that fit within the organization in terms of character and talent. To continue the level of winning that have become almost a standard, this is where we find the players who are the future of the franchise. Since we don’t generally have much to do with free agency, this is our time to make our mark.

And it’s the time for Chris Polian to make his mark. He has obviously learned from his father over the past decade and he needs to become the new face of the franchise. This is the best time to start making your niche. While his father is still making the final decisions, he needs to take his knowledge of evaluating players and make his opinion heard. If he is anything like his father in terms of knowing a gem when he sees one, the Colts will be in good shape for years to come. Let’s just hope he’s a little more personable.