INDIANAPOLIS — The most lethal passing combination in the NFL is now the league's highest-paid tandem.

The Indianapolis Colts and wide receiver Marvin Harrison have finalized a seven-year contract extension worth $67 million. The deal includes $23 million in guaranteed money.

The blockbuster comes nine months after the Colts signed quarterback Peyton Manning to a seven-year, $98 million contract, which included a record $34.5 million in a two-tiered signing bonus. The deal made Manning the league's highest-paid player.

Harrison, who would have been an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and his agent, Tom Condon, could not be reached for comment yesterday. Condon also helped author Manning's contract. Colts president Bill Polian declined comment.

Harrison's contract averages $9.6 million over the next seven seasons, elevating him to the top of the receivers' list. Randy Moss signed an eight-year, $75 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings that included $18 million in guarantees.

Owner Jim Irsay now has locked up two-thirds of the team's vaunted "triplets" at a cost of $165 million, $57.5 million of it guaranteed.

Next up is running back Edgerrin James. He will be a free agent at the end of the season, but the Colts now are in a better position to deal with their career rushing leader.

With Manning tied to the team through the 2010 season and Harrison through 2011, the team either can arrange a lucrative long-term contract with James or designate him as its "franchise" player. The latter is a one-year contract that would be worth approximately $8 million and keep James off the free-agent market.

Harrison is in the midst of another Pro Bowl-type season even though his productivity has been lessened as Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley have constructed career years.

Harrison leads the Colts with 67 catches and 12 touchdowns, and ranks third with 870 yards. He's had at least 10 TDs in a league-record six straight seasons.
 

The team's 1996 first-round draft pick continues to climb the NFL's all-time receiving charts. With 826 career receptions, Harrison needs only two against the Houston Texans on Sunday to leap-frog Larry Centers into seventh place on the all-time list. Harrison's 95 career touchdown catches are tied with Philadelphia's Terrell Owens for sixth most in league history among receivers.

Notes

• Priest Holmes (knee) consulted with doctors and team officials amid signs the Kansas City Chiefs' star running back may be done for the year. Coach Dick Vermeil said a decision would be made today.

• It appears former Washington Husky Chris Chandler will be the St. Louis Rams' starting quarterback for the Carolina and Arizona games the next two weeks. The regular starter, Marc Bulger (shoulder), said his target date for a return is Dec. 27 against Philadelphia.

• Tim Rattay (foot) and Kevan Barlow (concussion) will sit out the San Francisco 49ers' game at Arizona on Sunday, leaving the NFL's worst team without its starting quarterback and running back. Ken Dorsey will make his fourth start this season for Rattay, and the backup will be rookie Cody Pickett, the former Husky.

• Cleveland interim coach Terry Robiskie said rookie QB Luke McCown will make his second career start Sunday when the Browns face the Buffalo Bills, even though regular starter Jeff Garcia (shoulder) is "90 percent healthy."

• Colts center Jeff Saturday (calf) returned to practice and could start against Houston on Sunday. The Colts signed Martin Gramatica to be their new kickoff specialist.

• Washington Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington practiced for the first time since his knee surgery in September. Defensive end Phillip Daniels (wrist) was placed on injured reserve.

• Buffalo Bills tight end Mark Campbell (knee) will miss the rest of the season.

• Special-teams captain Steve Gleason of the New Orleans Saints was fined $5,000 by the NFL after being thrown out of last week's game with Carolina for punching the Panthers' Kemp Rasmussen at the end of a kickoff return.