Throwdowns > Closed

Yeah it's a pretty interesting situation, I really don't think there has been a similar one. I'm curious to see what they actually end up doing.

It's a little more complicated than this.

Manning is due a $28mil roster bonus in March, the draft is in April. If they don't exercise the option, Peyton becomes a free agent and this is a moot point. Luck is drafted and the rebuilding begins in earnest.

But if they DO exercise the option, it kicks in the last 4 years of Peyton's contract. $90million worth. If they exercise the option, they are sticking with Manning for the long haul and you don't draft a guy with the #1 overall pick to hold a clipboard for 4 years then become a free agent.

Effectively the entire thing boils down to whether the Colts want to keep Manning or not and one would have to believe if he's healthy, they do. In that case, you almost certainly don't spend that pick on a QB, particularly not one who is supposedly NFL ready or very close to it right now.

Papa Manning says he doesn't think the Colts should draft Luck...but not for the reasons you might think. The Mannings are actually very familiar with Luck as he has attended their QB camps for years and Peyton has advised Andrew on NFL matters. Archie thinks Luck is too good and too ready to play to be sitting on the bench behind anyone, including his son. He's said the Colts need to decide which one they want because having both would be a bad idea and he doesn't think (Read: He knows) that either of them wants to play for the same team.

One other interesting note on the connection...Archie and Lucks father Oliver were teammates on the Oilers.

I disagree about getting "a kings ransom" for Luck though. Unless the potential trade partner is in the top 4 or 5 themselves it's hard to get fair trade value for the top pick. That may change some with the new CBA limiting what that pick makes, but high draft choices are too valuable for teams to give up many of them to move up enough to take Luck. For example, if the 'trade value' is this years 1st and 2nd rounder and next years 1st, plus you have to sign the guy, it's just too much for most teams to consider. You'd in effect be giving up 3 players who you should expect will be top notch starters for one player at a position with a sketchy track record for high picks.

There is another option for the Colts next year...making Payton their new Head Coach. He;'s the default HC now so they may as well make it official. He could be a player/coach, this way if his neck heals he can play, if not he can still be on the Colt's sideline.

agree

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 06:50 AM ET  12.07 by Formerly from Ewa PGH Fan

There is another option for the Colts next year...making Payton their new Head Coach. He;'s the default HC now so they may as well make it official. He could be a player/coach, this way if his neck heals he can play, if not he can still be on the Colt's sideline.

or at least, Offensive Coordinator

He will never be 100% again

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 06:50 AM ET  12.07 by Formerly from Ewa PGH Fan

There is another option for the Colts next year...making Payton their new Head Coach. He;'s the default HC now so they may as well make it official. He could be a player/coach, this way if his neck heals he can play, if not he can still be on the Colt's sideline.

I don't think Manning wants to be on the sidelines just yet. He'll at least give it another 2-3 yrs whether it's with the Colts or not.

QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 07:07 AM ET  12.07 by J-Business

I don't think Manning wants to be on the sidelines just yet. He'll at least give it another 2-3 yrs whether it's with the Colts or not.

Manning may not want to be on the sidelines yet, BUT he may HAVE to be. That neck will never be the same again!

'I'm going to do this throw down on the Colts having the knowledge that Peyton Manning is healthy and will be at least healthy for the start of the year, not necessarily the whole year.'

Left's assumption that Manning will be healthy next year is a HUGH stretch at this point.

Judging from the James Brown interview on Sunday Peyton certainly wants to play. But he is also concerned with his health, referring to his family, specifically his new twins. He will do what is best for his family. All will be answered in March. But no, they do not want to have both players. I'm betting they will go with Luck.

The draft is always a gamble, injuries are always a gamble. The Colts have a lot more problems than just the QB. They are in a very bad place at the moment. Let's look at some of the ways this can go bad.

Keep Peyton, trade the pick and upgrade the defense, then get left high and dry when he suddenly retires at the end of the next season or two. Yes, he got you back to the playoffs, but he also got you the 22nd pick in the draft to try to find a replacement that's NFL ready. Meanwhile, Luck is the man in Arizona, leading them to the top of the NFC.

Let Peyton go, spend the bonus money on free agents for your defense, draft Luck and he bombs a la Ryan Leaf. Now you're out the top pick and the picks you could have traded it for. Yes, everyone says it's unlikely, but it's still possible. Or he turns out to be an injury magnet. Meanwhile, Peyton signed a short-term deal with another team and is headed for the Super Bowl now that he has a defense that doesn't need a 14 point lead to function.

Keep both, try to make what upgrades you can with the picks and cash you have left and hope that the "Let the QB do all the work" philosophy stays effective. Meanwhile, you hope there's no drama between the two elite QBs jostling for playing time. This is the safest path in terms of the GM not looking silly later, but it gives you the least opportunity to improve the team as a whole.

If it's me, I'm torn between going for the great QB, letting Manning go and fixing my defense with the money saved versus trading down, getting a QB that needs a year or two of seasoning, using the extra picks to rebuild my defense and praying that Manning lasts that long.

QUOTE(#9):

Originally posted 07:01 AM ET  12.07 by (Un)

I'm afraid that's the truth.

It's a shame too, considering Peyton Manning took less hits per season than possibly any quarterback in the league.

Read more: http://www.fannation.com/throwdowns/show/645641-the-colts-should-trade-the -1st-pick-of-the-nfl-draft?category_id=17#ixzz1frekeTgf

isn't this the same malformation that caused his brother Cooper to get out of football?

I'm not so sure he comes back, read in the local rag that he has 2 more exams scheduled with the doctor. the last being just a few days before the bonus is do

"due"

If they are going to trade....trade Manning. You can't rebuild around a 36 year old injured QB. Peyton is within two years of retirement anyway. He'll be a coach somewhere by 2014.

the colts have to ride out peyton as long as he is playing. if they dont, they risk alienating their entire fanbase.

lets imagine that they let peyton walk and draft luck. luck will be walking into the most pressured situation in the history of the nfl. number one draft picks(not to mention qb's) already have a ridiculous amount of pressure placed on their shoulders. furthermore, in this case, luck will essentially be running the most popular person in the history of that state(and one of the greatest qb's of all time), out of town. that is an absurd pressure to put on the shoulders of a twenty two year old. lets then take into account the fact that the colts do NOT have a good team. they have a weak running game, a weak o-line, and their best receiver will be 34 next year. lets not forget that the colts defense ranks last in the nfl in points allowed. essentially, they will be throwing luck to the wolves without a safety net in every sense. he is pretty much destined to fail, atleast in the first couple rebuilding seasons, and, many of the fans will not be very forgiving, especially if peyton plays ok somewhere else.

go down the list of qb's taken number one in the last 25 years, and see which ones succeeded. eli manning didnt start his whole rookie year, but, he had a pro bowl running back in tiki barber. carson palmer was drafted on to a team that went 8-8 the season prior, and his rb, rudi johnson rushed for over 1400 yds in carsons first year. michael vick didnt start his rookie year, but had his speed as his own top weapon. peyton manning had all world rb, marshall faulk to lean on, and the following year, edgerrin james. drew bledsoe had bill parcells as his coach. troy aikman was horrible his first season, but because of the herschel walker trade, the cowboys soon added emmitt smith and michael irvin and a boatload of other talent.

in indi, luck will have none of these benefits. he will be walking on a horrible team, with no running back, no coach, and no treasure trove of future draft picks.