Number of challenges awaits Indianapolis Colts new General Manager Ryan Grigson – NFL Update
Detroit Lions’ offensive tackle, Ryan Grigson, who was confirmed as the new general manager of the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, January 11, 2012, faces a number of tough challenges ahead to salvage the team from the lowest point in its history, a 2-14
score in the 2011 regular season of the National Football League (NFL), and rebuild the club to be a Super Bowl contender once again.
Apparently, Grigson said he was ready for the challenge and will take the right steps towards the rebuilding process of the team.
"I've been on teams whose guys were run off for the sake of running guys off," Grigson said. "That makes no sense to me. I like to salvage things if the ability is there."
Grigson has reached a four-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts, including a fifth year as a team option.
He has replaced Colts' former general manager, Chris Polian who was sacked along with his father, Bill Polian, Colts' vice chairman, following the team’s poor performance in the outgoing NFL regular season.
One of the challenges in front of the new GM is to give better performances than Polian who was considered to be a powerful manager in the league, showing from his results that he was one of the best.
During his career, he helped five teams reach the Super Bowl and is credited to be an architect of one of the most impressive periods in the league.
He was well respected by Colts' owner, Jim Irsay, but finally they let him go after he admittedly failed to bring in and groom a replacement for their most talked about quarterback (QB), Peyton Manning, which resulted in the Colts' collapse during the past
season.
This is the reason that Irsay said that it will not be easy for the new GM as he looks to replace one of the most influential and successful man in this sphere of the game.
"He is not walking into a normal situation," Irsay said.
"When you have the No. 1 pick, when you have the salary cap problems we do, when you have injured players we do, when you have the coaching situation we do, this is a tough job to come into, but he's not without support. We're going to make the right decisions
to win."
The two most important tasks awaiting Grigson are the possible replacement of their coach, Jim Caldwell, with a new hiring, and a decision on the future of their veteran QB, Peyton Manning.
Under the term's reference of his contract, Colts have to pay $28 million in bonus to Manning by March 08, 2012, and it is to be seen if the new GM decides to go for the payout or seek renegotiation in extending it.
They will have an option to either keep the player on their roster or let him go out as a free agent and replace him with a new pick during the next draft season in April, later on this year.
Despite the team has not hinted firing Jim Caldwell, it is most probable that the incoming GM will find a replacement in his journey to lift the team back into the upper ranks of the NFL.
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