As the Colts look towards the future, is it in the hands of Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck?
It’s tough being a sports fan in Indianapolis right now. The Colts currently hold the worst record in the league at 0-7. The Dolphins and Rams are in the Colts rear-view mirror at 0-6. And like it or not, the ‘Suck for (Andrew) Luck’ campaigns are only beginning.
Indy is playing at an unprecedentedly poor level, a level to which so many fans aren’t use to. It was a given during the last nine years for the Colts to win 10 games or more and make the playoffs. Now that the Colts have lost every game this season, fans and media are already looking ahead to the NFL Draft and what options the horseshoes may have.
Albert Breer of the NFL Network took at the issue today, writing that on purpose or not, the Colts should lose out and own it. (The key points and quotes are below):
At 0-7, the Colts should go for it. And do it discreetly, since these forms of “creative” roster management and “curious” in-game decision-making would certainly be frowned upon at the NFL headquarters at 345 Park Avenue.
The truth is, from Indianapolis’ perspective, finishing with the worst record in the NFL would be glorious because one of two things would happen:
1) You get the best quarterback prospect in a generation, in Andrew Luck, or
2) You poach an incredible haul of draft picks (and one exec intimated to me Luck’s draft rights could reap two full years of a team’s picks) to hand to the quarterback you already have, who happens to be an all-time great.
“Not surprised at all,” said one rival personnel director, on what’s transpired. “Their drafts have not been very successful over a number of years, and they usually don’t replace the free-agent losses because they have put so much money into the core — Manning, (Robert) Mathis, (Dwight) Freeney, (Gary) Brackett, (Reggie) Wayne, (Jeff) Saturday, (Ryan) Diem and (Dallas) Clark. They are really poor personnel-wise, and this shows how valuable 18 really is.”
They can keep that quarterback-driven model alive by selecting Luck. Presuming Manning can deal with such an arrangement, it allows the succession to happen naturally in the coming years. Or they can deal the pick, and use all the new capital to tweak the model and try to give Manning what John Elway had in the end at Denver, which was a team that didn’t need him to be great every week to win.
“That’s the best move,” the personnel director said, of potential draft “positioning” by Indy. “I’d take Luck and have the next Peyton for another 12 years.”
Breer and his personnel director source all make sense and provide valid points. I don’t think you tank and I don’t think you change your preparations with the sole focus on losing. If it happens that’s one thing, and probably for the better. But these are professional athletes doing what they love. And many players on the roster are currently in contract years where they need a strong performance on the field to boost their next contract.
I couldn’t look my players in the eye, and tell them to change their thinking…and I don’t think that’s going to happen. As Coach Herm Edwards famously said, ‘you play to win the game.’ The Colts must continue to get better, make adjustments and provide a product on the field that fans can be proud of.
What do you think…? Should they tank? And if the Colts have the top pick, do you draft Luck or trade him?
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There are basically 3 ways the Colts can go if they get the #1 pick.
1) Draft Luck. Trade Peyton/Force into retirement. – This would be cruel. I understand football is a business but Manning has given everthing to this franchise and this could hurt the Colts brand.
2) Draft Luck to learn from the most clinical QB perhaps ever. – The problem with this scenario is that Luck is too good to sit more than a year. Any time Manning has an off game fans, analysts, and management will turn it into forcing him out.
3) Trade pick for a bountiful basket of goodies. – Best option in my opinion. Nearly half the teams in the league don’t have an established or promising QB. The offers for the pick would be insane. I say you take the team that offers the most draft picks and surround Peyton with some much needed youth. Shore up some defensive issues, give him a force on the o-line, maybe even take a QB with a late 1st or 2nd round pick. This is the most loaded draft for QB’s in recent memory. Barkley and Jones could be #1 picks in most other years and i could see one of them slipping. If they’re looking later in the draft Cousins has potential Foles from Arizona could develop wonderfully under Peyton.