By MICHAEL SMITH
Staff Writer
The Indianapolis Colts are at a crossroads in their team history. They finished the season with a 2-14 record, only one year after going to the playoffs on the strength of a 10-6 record.
Three key guys who were free agents after that 10-6 season, Joseph Addai, Adam Vinatieri, and, of course, Peyton Manning all re-signed with the team. There were no major losses that seemed to be a detriment to this team.
However, after the lockout ended and teams started getting together, there were questions about Manning’s health. In September, he had his third surgery in 19 months, trying to overcome neck issues. It wasn’t until this surgery, just a week before Week 1 of the season, that the Colts became certain that Manning would miss any time.
As the Colts now painfully know, Manning ended up missing the entire season. The whole world got a much better appreciation for Peyton Manning this year, because it became plainly clear that this is a team with more questions than answers, but they had the quarterback that had enough talent to mask all their problems.
Now they are forced to answer the $28 million dollar question, keep Manning, or move on and rebuild the franchise? If Peyton Manning is on the Colts roster on March 8th, he receives a roster bonus of $28 million. Normally, there wouldn’t be much of a question as he is widely regarded as one of, if not, the greatest quarterback in NFL history. But there are other details to consider.
Manning’s health is still a question, 36 is definitely on the older side for an NFL player, and a neck injury is no joke. It is also very important to consider that if the team does decide to move on, they’re not stuck with just cutting him, they are allowed to trade him and get something in return.
The biggest thing working against Manning staying with the Colts is Andrew Luck. Obviously, if the Colts were to get rid of Manning, they would need to replace him. After finishing the season with the worst record in the league, they received the first pick in the draft this year. Andrew Luck was one of the best players in college football last season, and he is regarded as the most-NFL-ready quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning.
So the question remains for the Colts, Manning or Luck? Do you show loyalty to the guy who put your franchise in the upper echelon of the league? Or do you take the cant-miss prospect, the guy who can keep your franchise at the top for the next 15 years.
One thing is for sure, it seems like it may be financially impossible, to pay for Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, with their pay combining to be $50 million, for just this year.
There has been a back and forth recently between Manning and Jim Irsay about the morale of the Colts facilities, and it is seemingly becoming more and more evident, that Manning will not suit up for the Colts in 2012.
