Peyton Manning increasingly becoming unlikelihood for Colts – NFL feature-2
Indianapolis Colts are going with an offensive approach in their search of a new head coach for the team, and the move is apparently seen targeting their prospective recruitment of a new draft quarterback next season, who could be Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin
III, with their star quarterback, Peyton Manning, increasingly becoming unlikely to be part of their sustainable future.
The Stanford College’s quarterback, Andrew Luck, has been projected to be an undisputed top draft for next season.
Another player who has recently started matching Luck's rating is Robert Griffin III.
Colts' owner, Jim Irsay will have to choose one of the two up and coming youngsters.
The owner is reported to have referred the situation similar to the one he faced in 1998, to choose Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf, the two top draft prizes at that time.
It is for the first time that he has spoken of their ambitions on signing of the new draft pick and called it a matter of choice in the similar way and he had to make a decision about 14 years ago.
The owner has also hinted at his thinking beyond Peyton Manning for the first time so openly. He in his remarks rejected the notion that Manning’s return will affect the prospects for signing of a new draft pick.
"I don't think it would," Irsay said. "I think we've identified even before this year that you have your eye open for that quarterback that could eventually replace Peyton."
From the Irsay’s latest comments it looks that the owner is becoming clearer in his thoughts and plans of his team’s future.
All his efforts: the focus on offence in hiring of his new coach, his talk of new draft pick and Peyton Manning’s presence in the team, it can safely be concluded that Manning is gradually fading away in Irsay’s envisioned future for Colts.
There could be a possibility that looks too remote at this stage i.e. Peyton plays another season with Colts, gradually replaced by a rookie quarterback.
The maximum period he could survive in the transition process could not be more than a year.
Otherwise he stands losing his contract with the Colts soon after the payment of $28 million in bonus, which he is due to be paid by March 08, 2012.
He is likely to let become a free agent and join any other side, if he is fit to play.
Another issue that could come in the way of Manning’s return is his injury. He had a neck surgery in September 2011, and is in recovery since.
This was his third surgery for the same injury in the past 19 months, and there is no surety that he would not suffer the same issue again.
The team could rightly be aware of the fact about his health and fitness and might shy away from committing anything to the player in the longer run.
It is likely that the team management sees him a short-term prospect and hold no hope for him to play football for a sustainable period of time.
With all the advantages and disadvantages it seems that Peyton stands closer to the end of his career now than ever before.
He showed up to support his younger brother, Eli Manning, the QB at New York Giants in the American Football Conference (AFC) championship game, last Sunday.
He didn't seem to be the same old Peyton Manning.
The player had rather a lengthy stretch of his successful career at the Colts. He was for many times a pro-bowl and four-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the league.
His talent and skills have almost overshadowed rest of his teammates and all almost of them were exposed during their team’s worst run in the league in absence in 2011 regular season.
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