Tobalical: If The Colts Draft Andrew Luck, Who Could Be In The Running For Peyton Manning?

By: Toby Christie – Follow on Twitter @tobalical

The season is winding down, and one team – The Indianapolis Colts – still haven’t even won a single game. That’s right the team that has won at least 10 games every year since 2002, and has been in the playoffs every year during that same stretch has officially hit rock bottom.

It’s not really a surprise the team isn’t a contender considering Peyton Manning hasn’t taken a single snap in 2011 after numerous neck surgeries in the offseason and throughout the regular season… But just how bad they are without No. 18 behind center is astonishing.

The Colts barring any unforeseen circumstances will now have the No. 1 overall selection in this year’s draft, and it seems like a no brainer that the franchise will select Andrew Luck as their quarterback of the future. But if they do; What happens to Peyton Manning?

Remember Manning is one of the highest paid players in the entire NFL, and that is actually part of the reason there isn’t more talent on the roster around him. His 5-year/$90 million contract has put a noose around the neck of this organization. In my honest opinion, as crazy as it sounds, the franchise would be best suited by parting ways with the 35-year-old gunslinger.

Adding Andrew Luck to the roster would be much more cost effective than keeping Manning, because of the new rookie-wage scale that limits the maximum amount of money a team can offer rookies. Not only that but the 2011 season has proven to everyone just how valuable Manning is to an organization (as I’ve already stated with Manning playing the Colts were a perinneal 10-plus win team, without him they can’t even win a game).

It wouldn’t be unfathomable for the Colts to ask, and receive multiple first round draft picks for Manning. They could use those draft picks to help immediately build a foundation around Luck.

Now what if the Colts decide to hang on to Manning, and still draft Luck as well?

They take a severe chance at destroying their trade value for Manning. There are just too many things that could go wrong. What if he comes back at less than 100%? What if he is a shadow of his former self? What if he injures his neck again when he gets hit?

If any of these questions are solved with an unfavorable answer, simply you would be hard pressed to find any teams willing to ship multiple first-round draft picks for him. However as it stands right now the lasting image in everyone’s head is Manning, the ultimate field general, picking apart defenses and taking his Colts team to two Super Bowls.

If you’re going to ship him away the time to do it is this offseason. He isn’t getting younger.

The Colts may stay loyal to Manning and keep him on the roster hoping he’ll mentor Andrew Luck, but I find it highly unlikely that they would do that. When they drafted Manning they threw him straight into the fire, and let him learn on the fly so they would probably prefer to go that route again… especially when they could potentially get so much from trading Manning.

Now if the Colts do opt to trade away one of the best quarterbacks we’ve ever seen in the NFL, who would actually be in the running for landing him? Here are my thoughts on some interesting landing spots:

1. Dallas Cowboys – This one seems more attached to “if the Cowboys miss the playoffs,” but if they do miss out on the playoffs expect them to actually take a look at Manning. Tony Romo has contributed to a few of the team’s devastating last minute losses after seemingly having the games all sewed up, and if they miss the playoffs Jason Garrett will officially be on the hot seat.

If Garrett were to trade for Manning it would potentially buy him a couple of seasons (at least) of 10-plus win records where he could settle in as the Cowboys’ head coach. And with guys like Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Laurent Robinson, Jason Witten, Felix Jones and DeMarco Murray (if he recovers from a broken ankle) this may be the most talent Manning has ever had around him.

This move actually the more I think about it makes the most sense, because then the Cowboys could recover some of what they give away for Manning, by trading away Tony Romo to another team that desperately needs a QB (hmm Miami?). Not only that, but it would be a win for the Colts also as they would be trading him outside of the AFC.

2.  Miami Dolphins – The Miami Dolphins have been searching for a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino retired in 1999, and they have done so very unsuccessfully. Guys like Jay Fiedler, Gus Frerotte, Dante Culpepper, A.J. Feeley and even Cleo Lemon have all tanked hard.

Recently the Dolphins put their fate in the hands of Chad Henne, and that has proven to be a complete disaster, in fact their only wins in 2011 came after Henne went on IR. The owner Stephen Ross has been looking to turn around the once proud franchise, and he has also been looking to land some “big names” to bring in attendance in Miami… Would there be any bigger name than Peyton Manning?

Add the fact that the Dolphins have a decent defense, as well as Reggie Bush, Brandon Marshall and some other decent offensive weapons and what you have is a possible franchise turnaround. Remember the Dolphins passed on Drew Brees after his shoulder injury in San Diego, and they have regretted it ever since.

If they have a chance to pull the trigger on a trade for Peyton Manning, expect it to happen.

3. Washington Redskins – Dan Snyder has never shyd away from spending the big bucks to bring in players he believes can help his franchise win, the only probelm is that for the past decade they haven’t really done too much winning. After starting 3-1 the Redskins were one of the breakout stories of 2011, but then a subsequent six game losing streak ended any hope they had of reaching the post season.

Mike Shanahan’s job is going to be under fire very soon, so he definitely knows the time to win is now. The ‘Skins have a great running attack, and some average receiving threats, but heck Manning doesn’t need all stars around him to win. Peyton Manning could save Shanahan’s job, and could return the Redskins to winning form.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars – This one is an interesting one. The Jaguars just how good Peyton Manning is about more than anyone else, as they have had to play against him twice a year as his divisional rival. Jack Del Rio’s regime drafted Blaine Gabbert in this season’s draft to be their quarterback of the future, but things haven’t gone so smoothly.

Gabbert’s quarterback rating for the season is a pedestrian 65.3, and he has thrown nearly as many interceptions (nine) as he has touchdowns (10). Not only that, but he has only been able to muster 1,783 yards passing this deep into the season.

With Del Rio gone, and the team going into a huge rebuilding mode, maybe the time is now to pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal for Manning – now will the Colts trade him inside the division? It’s just the Jaguars right?

5. New York Jets – Rex Ryan desperately wants to win a Super Bowl, as is apparent with his annual prediction that his team will win it all. However it just seems that his team is lacking just a little something from getting over the hump, that something could just be Peyton Manning.

Now I know the team has drafted Mark Sanchez, and he has performed very decent, but he has feuded with his head coach in the past and some weeks he is just very inconsistent. The fans in New York have actually booed Sanchez several times this season, and at one point Rex Ryan let Mark Brunell take some snaps with the first team offense in practice.

Remember a couple of seasons ago it was Manning who knocked the Jets out of the playoffs in the AFC Championship game. Trust me Rex Ryan hasn’t forgotten this. Every coach wants to be Vince Lombardi, not Andy Reid and Rex Ryan isn’t an exception to this.