Polian Firing May Indicate Colts Draft Intentions

[Tcali]

cant see a rational reason for not drafting luck;unless you are a dumb owner and choose to outsmart yourself.

manning has a 50% chance of making it through a season with his age and neck.that colts team is a lonnnng way from contention even if

they load up on low picks. even if those picks are all very good(small chance of that)t are a long way off. they should rebuild with luck.

they can probbly get a 2nd rounder for manning as well to boost their draft and get the rebuilding going.

 

but we are talking about irsay.....-he could mess this up in a big way ala ralph.

[Webster Guy]

I personally think the Polian firings have more to do with the recent past than differences in the future direction.

 

 

I disagree with you and K-9 this time.

 

Polian's drafts have been getting worse over the last 5-6 years… he's been living off his reputation.

 

People around the league are wondering why a quarterback as great as Peyton Manning has won only one Super Bowl. It seems clear to me anyways that the answer is that Polian(s) didn't build a good enough team around Manning.

 

Finally, I'm sure the Irsay's were not thrilled to be paying Manning for the first year of his new contract this year, $17 million, without him playing a single down of football.

 

Apparently Polian did this new deal with Manning without even requiring that Manning pass a physical exam.

 

And this isn't even going into the nepotism and succession plan involving the younger Polian.

 

Doesn't anyone remember two years ago when there was a move here to hire Chris Polian as our new GM and within one week, the Colts signed him to a long term deal that accompanied by the news that he would succeed his father when Bill retired in a few years?

 

So now the Irsays are paying big money to two Polians while the performance of the front office has been deteriorating amidst nepotism?

 

No, I think they were fired for recent past sins, not a difference in philosophy going forward.

 

JMO.

I completely agree. Pretty poor draft, personnel development and FA pickups by Polian over the past several years was uncovered by absence of Manning. The team was built around one QB with a decade in the league, my guess is that Irsay warned of this happening in the past and Polian still put all his eggs in one basket.

 

The Colts will draft Luck either way, there is too much uncertainty with Manning's injury vs the certainty that Luck can win in the NFL. The team is built for a pocket passing spread offense. I've never seen a better fit for a rookie to step into.

 

Draft Luck, sit him for a year if Manning heals and can play. If he's winning and playing well, then you can always trade Luck for a load of picks and probably a stud player or two while you're at it.

 

Imagine if they trade the number one and Manning can't return. It would be the worst draft blunder of all time.

[truth on hold]

Polian said he got canned for not developing a qb behind manning. In a way you have to sympathize with him because manning had been an iron man for so long, you just want to surround him with as many tools as possible while he's in his prime.

 

If manning comes back it won't be with indy. It's not in the DNA of guys like that to keep the seat warm for someone else.

[Bill from NYC]

cant see a rational reason for not drafting luck;unless you are a dumb owner and choose to outsmart yourself.

manning has a 50% chance of making it through a season with his age and neck.that colts team is a lonnnng way from contention even if

they load up on low picks. even if those picks are all very good(small chance of that)t are a long way off. they should rebuild with luck.

they can probbly get a 2nd rounder for manning as well to boost their draft and get the rebuilding going.

 

but we are talking about irsay.....-he could mess this up in a big way ala ralph.

 

I agree that they should draft Luck, but disagree about a 2nd round pick for Manning. Did you see what the Raiders gace up for Palmer? Manning is one of the top 5 qbs who ever lived. If he was traded to the Jets, they would sell a million jerseys, tees, etc. within a week or so. They could increase ticket prices and people would pay. It would be front page news, etc.

Whether he, after the surgeries, would be worth it or not, Manning would cost far more than even a 1st round pick, even at his age.

[1billsfan]

I agree that they should draft Luck, but disagree about a 2nd round pick for Manning. Did you see what the Raiders gace up for Palmer? Manning is one of the top 5 qbs who ever lived. If he was traded to the Jets, they would sell a million jerseys, tees, etc. within a week or so. They could increase ticket prices and people would pay. It would be front page news, etc.

Whether he, after the surgeries, would be worth it or not, Manning would cost far more than even a 1st round pick, even at his age.

 

 

In March he's due 28 million. There's no team in the NFL that will trade for that amount of a salary cap hit for a guy coming off neck surgery and year long rehab. Either the Colts pay him that money because he's staying as their starting QB for the coming years, or they won't and he becomes a free agent. I don't see any trade scenario happening because of the 28 million dollars due to him.

[Mr. WEO]

For sure. He convinced Andrew Luck to stay in school for one more year so that he could be drafted by the Colts. Then he convinced Peyton to get surgery on his ailing neck. Here ya go champ a juicy contract, now just get better. After which he leaves Caldwell in charge of the team, knowing full well after his plan succeeds that he is just going to dump him. The Colts are built around Manning. With a bunch of undersized dead weight on his team, Polian knows he needs a change. Sans Peyton they suck real good, can't win, blah, blah, give me that number 1.

Now what does he do with it? Nothing, he's fired. But if he was here I think he trades it away for a **** load of sweet, fairly cheap draft picks. Thus giving Peyton one more shot at winning the big one. Not sure what went wrong with his plan?

See?? That's the crazy part! haha.

 

Anyway, it has all worked out perfectly for the Colts, if not for the Polians....

[apuszczalowski]

In March he's due 28 million. There's no team in the NFL that will trade for that amount of a salary cap hit for a guy coming off neck surgery and year long rehab. Either the Colts pay him that money because he's staying as their starting QB for the coming years, or they won't and he becomes a free agent. I don't see any trade scenario happening because of the 28 million dollars due to him.

Or they talk with him and renegotiate the deal (he seems like the kind of guy that would cut them a deal after missing all of last season while being kept on the active roster and not being put on IR) so its better for the team and they keep him while drafting Luck who will be able to sit behind Manning for a bit to learn from a HOFer before being thrown into the fire

[K-9]

In March he's due 28 million. There's no team in the NFL that will trade for that amount of a salary cap hit for a guy coming off neck surgery and year long rehab. Either the Colts pay him that money because he's staying as their starting QB for the coming years, or they won't and he becomes a free agent. I don't see any trade scenario happening because of the 28 million dollars due to him.

 

The 28m is just his bonus. His real dollar number for 2012 would be 36m. That's REAL dollars spent. They can't trade him until AFTER the league year begins which is AFTER his bonus is due. What team trades a player they just paid 28m to?

 

Manning either has to renegotiate his deal BEFORE 3/8 or the Colts have to release him. Wonder how that will play in Indy. HOF QB is gone for NOTHING. But why would Manning want to redo his deal? Especially if it makes it easier to draft the guy they want to replace him with? All this talk of Luck playing a couple seasons behind Manning is a nice feel-good story but neither of them wants that to happen if what Archie says is true.

 

Luck and Manning on the same team means 51m on the QB position ALONE for 2012. In REAL dollars. Think that might crimp their plans to retool their roster?

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Gordio]

The 28m is just his bonus. His real dollar number for 2012 would be 36m. That's REAL dollars spent. They can't trade him until AFTER the league year begins which is AFTER his bonus is due. What team trades a player they just paid 28m to?

 

Manning either has to renegotiate his deal BEFORE 3/8 or the Colts have to release him. Wonder how that will play in Indy. HOF QB is gone for NOTHING. But why would Manning want to redo his deal? Especially if it makes it easier to draft the guy they want to replace him with? All this talk of Luck playing a couple seasons behind Manning is a nice feel-good story but neither of them wants that to happen if what Archie says is true.

 

Luck and Manning on the same team means 51m on the QB position ALONE for 2012. In REAL dollars. Think that might crimp their plans to retool their roster?

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

 

Exactly, Manning is not redooing his contract. The Colts are not going to trade him away after just paying him $28 million. That does not make any sense. 1 of 2 things are going to happen. Either the Colts are going to decide Manning is healthy & will pay him the bonus & trade the #1 pick away for a fortune or 2 & this is what I think will happen they will cut Manning & start to build around Luck. People that are saying he is going to get traded/they will keep Manning & draft quite simply do not understand the specifics of this situation & the details of Manning's contract.

[Mr. WEO]

The 28m is just his bonus. His real dollar number for 2012 would be 36m. That's REAL dollars spent. They can't trade him until AFTER the league year begins which is AFTER his bonus is due. What team trades a player they just paid 28m to?

 

Manning either has to renegotiate his deal BEFORE 3/8 or the Colts have to release him. Wonder how that will play in Indy. HOF QB is gone for NOTHING. But why would Manning want to redo his deal? Especially if it makes it easier to draft the guy they want to replace him with? All this talk of Luck playing a couple seasons behind Manning is a nice feel-good story but neither of them wants that to happen if what Archie says is true.

 

Luck and Manning on the same team means 51m on the QB position ALONE for 2012. In REAL dollars. Think that might crimp their plans to retool their roster?

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The fans in Indy got a sobering look at the reality of their franchise QB situation this season. You think they would be thrilled to see Luck or RG3 slip through their team's possession? Did they have any idea thet there was even a possibility that Manning would miss this entire season? Or that his condition is desperate enough that he would seek experimantal treatments outisde of the country?

I'm guessing "no".

 

No one give 2 sheets what Archie Manning thinks at this point. Ditto may go for Peyton, who will stay in Indy and collect his money (which obviously no one else would ever pay him). They will take luck, eat the big salary of 2 QBs--simply because they should have no confidence that Manning is fixed at all.

 

Manning does not have "another SB win left in him"--throughout his career, he had only one, and he spent it. One more year of Manning as starter will not bring the Indy fans much except the knowledge that they missed out on their next franchise QB and wolud be drafting mid 1st round in 2013 with no top QB to select.

[K-9]

The fans in Indy got a sobering look at the reality of their franchise QB situation this season. You think they would be thrilled to see Luck or RG3 slip through their team's possession? Did they have any idea thet there was even a possibility that Manning would miss this entire season? Or that his condition is desperate enough that he would seek experimantal treatments outisde of the country?

I'm guessing "no".

 

No one give 2 sheets what Archie Manning thinks at this point. Ditto may go for Peyton, who will stay in Indy and collect his money (which obviously no one else would ever pay him). They will take luck, eat the big salary of 2 QBs--simply because they should have no confidence that Manning is fixed at all.

 

Manning does not have "another SB win left in him"--throughout his career, he had only one, and he spent it. One more year of Manning as starter will not bring the Indy fans much except the knowledge that they missed out on their next franchise QB and wolud be drafting mid 1st round in 2013 with no top QB to select.

 

The Colts fans certainly did get a sobering look at things. It will be even more sobering when, instead of a proven HOF QB at the helm, they'll have a great, but unproven prospect hold the fort while the team takes a few years to retool their roster. I'm sure though, that after years of winning their division and being a regular fixture in the playoffs, they'll be more than patient while the new guy learns the ropes.

 

I'm sure the Chargers gave at least 2 sheets what Archie had to say back in 2004. But I'm also sure him and Oliver Luck were just two concerned dads who would never think of inserting themselves into the draft process of the Colts on behalf of their sons.

 

You are very generous with Irsay's money. Especially considering it would only be for one year as you suggest (not sure where you got that 1 year idea, BTW). Those fans who got such a sobering kick in the head are gonna love it when spending 51m in REAL dollars on the QB position makes it difficult for them to re-sign their own good players let alone bring in other FAs to help in the rebuild.

 

Irsay is in a bind if Manning doesn't renegotiate or retire. Simple as that.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[bbb]

The "Jerry Sullivan" of the Indy Star feels it's Polian that is too loyal to Manning.

 

PTR

 

The Jerry Sullivan of Buffalo agrees with the Jerry Sullivan of Indy

[Bill from NYC]

In March he's due 28 million. There's no team in the NFL that will trade for that amount of a salary cap hit for a guy coming off neck surgery and year long rehab. Either the Colts pay him that money because he's staying as their starting QB for the coming years, or they won't and he becomes a free agent. I don't see any trade scenario happening because of the 28 million dollars due to him.

 

Thanks for this good info.

 

One thing Manning doesn't need is cash. Another is to play professional football with neck problems. But given the above, it will all depend on what he wants to do. I do wonder if he will want to come to NY (NJ) and play for the Jets. Would he get to see his brother more? I don't know. What I do know his that he would take over the tri-state area. And, the league would absolutely love this.

 

I have a very strong feeling that the Jets will do everything possible to acquire him. Sanchez sucks, and the fans are well aware. Time will tell.

[Mr. WEO]

The Colts fans certainly did get a sobering look at things. It will be even more sobering when, instead of a proven HOF QB at the helm, they'll have a great, but unproven prospect hold the fort while the team takes a few years to retool their roster. I'm sure though, that after years of winning their division and being a regular fixture in the playoffs, they'll be more than patient while the new guy learns the ropes.

 

I'm sure the Chargers gave at least 2 sheets what Archie had to say back in 2004. But I'm also sure him and Oliver Luck were just two concerned dads who would never think of inserting themselves into the draft process of the Colts on behalf of their sons.

 

You are very generous with Irsay's money. Especially considering it would only be for one year as you suggest (not sure where you got that 1 year idea, BTW). Those fans who got such a sobering kick in the head are gonna love it when spending 51m in REAL dollars on the QB position makes it difficult for them to re-sign their own good players let alone bring in other FAs to help in the rebuild.

 

Irsay is in a bind if Manning doesn't renegotiate or retire. Simple as that.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

This isn't 2004 and Peyton Manning isn't the top QB coming out of the draft.

 

I could be just one year for the obvious reason that no one knows the status of manning's cervical spine. Obviously, after his second surgery in 2 years it was still in very bad shape. How many years do you think he had left??

 

What if Manning can't go next year? Or what if he makes it part of the way through the season and he's done and the Colts did not draft his replacement in April? You think the fans are going to be ok with that?

 

I think the Colts fans would be fine with that money tied up in 2 QBs--they certainly understand that the franchise Qb is by far the best investment any team can make. They can wait another draft or two to start to collect the rest of the team, as they did in the late 90's. It's not like there is no talent left on this team.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Mr. WEO