Colts owner Irsay expects Manning to be ready for camp

Colts owner Jim Irsay believes Peyton Manning’s neck surgery will not slow down the league’s only four-time MVP this season.

At the owner’s meetings in Atlanta, Irsay said Thursday that Manning is doing well and he expects Manning to “be ready.” Irsay did not say when he expected Manning to start practicing.

Irsay’s comments come one day after The Indianapolis Star first reported Manning is expected to miss the start of training camp -- whenever the league’s players and owners agree to a new collective bargaining agreement and end the four-month lockout.

Irsay also expects to Manning to sign a new long-term contract that will make him the league’s highest-paid player when the lockout ends.