Niners Baby!

[xamilo]

It would not hurt my feelings to see the Dolts remain a doormat for some time to come. QUOTE]

I wouldn't count on the Colts being a doormat for very long, they are obviously going to end up with some high draft picks this year. Peyton will be back, he has quite a few good, productive years left in him. If the GM and coaching staff are smart, they will trade down, load up on as many mid round draft picks as they can, and draft some wide outs for Peyton to throw to, and a good back up running back, and rebuild their defense with size and strength, not speed. If they do that, they will be a force to be reckoned with again soon.

Or maybe get Andrew Luck (since Manning health is a mystery), and have a second Hall of Fame QB in a row and a franchise player for another 10 years! (If he really is as good as they say he will be).

BTW, can anyone believe Tebow is still winning? I have to say I was the first one to criticise him and he has made me eat my words one by one. In other news, its a Pity for the Bears. After 2 years of training finally Mark Matz and Jay Cutler were getting along and the offense was looking awesome and he gets injured! Haine had a horrible game and showed why he is not a started (first and third interceptions were all his fault. I would say the 3rd is a "newby" mistake but the fact it was exactly the same last throw Favre did with the Packers some years ago breaks my theory).

Who the hell is choosing Sunday Night Footbal games this year? Why do I want to watch the Chiefs play against NE and PT two weeks in a row? Couldn't you find a less interesting match? I don't know, maybe Cleveland-Indianapolis? lol

 

[xamilo]

I disagree Dub, take Luck with the first pick and let him sit behind a hall of famer for 2 or 3 years. It worked for another stud QB, trying to think who...Oh righ, Aaron Rodgers. I dont know if they will do this though, FWIW ebery talking head I hear says that they will NOT take Luck while Manning is on the roster but I have yet to understand why...

I agree with you about Luck, but the Colt's owner (I miss the name right now) said a couple of weeks ago he would take Luck if he was awarded the first pick. LEt's see if he keeps his word. Two years under Manning and then throwing him in the starting line-up and bye bye for Manning (who will be in decay by then) would make the Colts contenders for ten more years..

 

[nututhugame]

My bet is Luck will not sit behind anyone for more than 2yrs max. Rodgers was lucky and nobody knew it. The chances of that scenario playing out again is slim to zilch. With that much hype around him Luck will be starting in no time flat. I.E. Cam Newton and Tim Tebow. If I were the Colts I would trade down and build up. It's sad really how rookie Q.B.'s get thrown to the wolves and yanked just as quickly when they don't solve all of a shitty team's problems. It's a career killer in a lot of cases. I understand though that if kids can come out of high school to millions in the NBA there's no reason a college educated young man can't lead a team in shambles to the playoffs in their first year (yeah right).

 

[BigJim13]

I am as shocked as anybody that Tebow is just winning baby to steal a phrase from Al Davis. His release is SOOO slow but none of that seems to matter!

As for Luck, you guys may be right about him not starting right away. I watched a little of the Stanford-ND game and must say I was NOT blown away by his talent...who knows.

 

[xamilo]

Now I heard an interview today with Manning saying there is a 50/50 chance of him coming back or retiring. That is A LOT to say! The ESPN commentators where talking about Luck as well, and the fact that if Manning comes back they have to pay $26 million instantly on him, so it might be a sensible decision to think about re-signing him if his health is a worry. Let's say Manning comes back and gets injured again, or decides by the 8th game he cannot stand the pain or the Doctor prohibits him to keep playing. Would they then need to wait for the year to end and at least another season (which probably would end up 0-16 as this one) to find a new QB on the draft and take one year to train (another 0-16) until they have a decent QB to compete again? Just in time for the WR and TE to be old enough to need replacement and start the whole cycle again? Or would you rather have Luck start next season, maybe lose almost every game (like Peyton Manning did in his first season), and build the time from there having a competent team in a couple of years?

Anyway, it is always a lottery with QB. I was thinking about that yesterday when watching Leinart. That year there was this huge controversy about QB due to the "High Quality" of some of them. Titans had the difficult decision Young vs Leinart. Today, none has done nothing for any of the teams they have played in (Young seems to be improving, but still has a long way to go). Only the QB selected on the 16th spot, Cutler, has started to show some "star" performances this year. Other people with "a great future" like Sanchez and Flacco, McCoy, Quinn still haven't shown anything.

And let's not talk about "prospects" like Russell,

Every analyst does agree about Andrew Luck this year, so, I guess that decreases the chances of a Leaf-Size failure, but again, in this game, a 6th round pick (Brady) can prove to be one of the best picks in history....

 

[BigJim13]

I think if the Colts get the 1st pick, they would be VERY smart to pick Luck. That way, if Manning comes back and can play the kid can sit, watch and learn. If he doesnt, they have a project. It will be telling though, if Bill Polian (Colts GM) doesnt take Luck. That would tell me they don't like something about his talent/skill set.

I never understood why guys like Sanchez were so highly touted. I dont remember him playing at all in college, I dont think he did did he? Didnt he back up Palmer and Leinart? Also, I don't remember Russel at all in college either and all of a sudden he's #1 overall.

Who am I surprised most by this year? Cam Newton. I didnt think he could play at all in the NFL. Shows what I know.

 

[xamilo]

I think if the Colts get the 1st pick, they would be VERY smart to pick Luck. That way, if Manning comes back and can play the kid can sit, watch and learn. If he doesnt, they have a project. It will be telling though, if Bill Polian (Colts GM) doesnt take Luck. That would tell me they don't like something about his talent/skill set.

I never understood why guys like Sanchez were so highly touted. I dont remember him playing at all in college, I dont think he did did he? Didnt he back up Palmer and Leinart? Also, I don't remember Russel at all in college either and all of a sudden he's #1 overall.

Who am I surprised most by this year? Cam Newton. I didnt think he could play at all in the NFL. Shows what I know.

Russell Played for LSU. I watched him play and always thought "There goes the next Steve McNair but with 20 more yards in his arm". Obviously I was mistaken as were the Raiders about him.

Sanchez played for USC one year 2008 (he backed up Booty and Leinart for two years), and ended up winning the Rose ball and having a 12-1 season which was pretty good. I think the fact he was the first decent QB with a Latinamerican heritage made him more famous and maybe part of the game was behind the option of taking the Latinamerican market with him to the team drafting him (that would have worked awesome for the Dolphins but not so good for the Jets I think).

Sanchez is a good QB, but he definitely is not and will not be part of the Elite, and unfortunately the only thing keeping the Jets back in the last two seasons had been the QB....

 

[BigJim13]

Russell Played for LSU. I watched him play and always thought "There goes the next Steve McNair but with 20 more yards in his arm". Obviously I was mistaken as were the Raiders about him.

Sanchez played for USC one year 2008 (he backed up Booty and Leinart for two years), and ended up winning the Rose ball and having a 12-1 season which was pretty good. I think the fact he was the first decent QB with a Latinamerican heritage made him more famous and maybe part of the game was behind the option of taking the Latinamerican market with him to the team drafting him (that would have worked awesome for the Dolphins but not so good for the Jets I think).

Sanchez is a good QB, but he definitely is not and will not be part of the Elite, and unfortunately the only thing keeping the Jets back in the last two seasons had been the QB....

Agreed about the Jets.

I guess I just don't pay enough attention to college football, I can't remember seeing Russel at all. Is he even in the league anymore, even as a back up?

 

[SilverUberXeno]

but again, in this game, a 6th round pick can prove to be one of the best picks in history....

I love that sixth rounder never screws around. Goes out, plays football, and goes home to plan his attack for next week. They stop scoring when the game is over. I wish they didn't need scarecrows to fill their secondary Brady / Rodgers would make a hell of a Superbowl. 80 - 63 packers

 

[limpalong]

There's a lot of time until the NFL draft. The Colts will try to have a much better glimpse of Manning's future before making a decision on Luck. Luck and Manning have an existing relationship. Luck has made appearances at some of Manning's charity events and has been active in Manning's football camp for youngsters. I guess Luck's dad and Manning's dad played together many years ago.
It sounds like Luck would not mind working under Manning for a season or two... if he was the heir apparant. However, if Luck does go first in the draft, his asking price will be high. Manning has just signed an huge contract before the neck injury. There is a question as to whether or not the Colts could afford Manning with his lucrative contract AND the cost of a number one draft choice as a bench warmer, backing him up.
On the other hand, if Manning's injury is worse than expected he may renegotiate his contract... down. If he becomes more "affordable" and is on board to simply mentor Luck, that might work.
I'm sure volumes of blogs will be written between now and draft time, with thousands of we "arm chair quarterbacks" suggesting how to spend the Colts money.

 

[BigJim13]

There's a lot of time until the NFL draft. The Colts will try to have a much better glimpse of Manning's future before making a decision on Luck. Luck and Manning have an existing relationship. Luck has made appearances at some of Manning's charity events and has been active in Manning's football camp for youngsters. I guess Luck's dad and Manning's dad played together many years ago.
It sounds like Luck would not mind working under Manning for a season or two... if he was the heir apparant. However, if Luck does go first in the draft, his asking price will be high. Manning has just signed an huge contract before the neck injury. There is a question as to whether or not the Colts could afford Manning with his lucrative contract AND the cost of a number one draft choice as a bench warmer, backing him up.
On the other hand, if Manning's injury is worse than expected he may renegotiate his contract... down. If he becomes more "affordable" and is on board to simply mentor Luck, that might work.
I'm sure volumes of blogs will be written between now and draft time, with thousands of we "arm chair quarterbacks" suggesting how to spend the Colts money.

Isnt there a rookie salary cap now? Not sure if the Colts could even pay both Luck and Manning even with a rookie cap though.

 

[xamilo]

Isnt there a rookie salary cap now? Not sure if the Colts could even pay both Luck and Manning even with a rookie cap though.

Manning contract is not yet signed. Well, I mean, they signed but there was a point about injury and a possible extension. If he re-signs next year for an additional year or two( I think the contract right now goes for 2-3 years with an extension possibility of one or two more. I'm not exactly sure how it goes), he gets instantly 26 millions guaranteed. That's why it is important to know about his injury, because 26 millions pay the No 1 pick for a couple of years. Manning is a very conscientious man, and he will surely act upon his injury in the correct way (not like old Number 4 for example), and will pretty sure lower his wage if he can't play at 100% in order for the team to take Luck. That's what great players do, just like Brady did in order to Sign Moss, Welker and Stallworth on their 18-1 campaign...

 

[Augster]

Isnt there a rookie salary cap now? Not sure if the Colts could even pay both Luck and Manning even with a rookie cap though.

Yes there is a rookie cap. Max I saw was Luck could make $4mil+change each year for the first 4. Pales in comparison to Mannings $17+mil per year. Ouch.

 

[JEFF4i]

If the Colts get Luck I'm gonna cry. That's cheap. Awesome, but cheap, lol.

 

[BigJim13]

If the Colts get Luck I'm gonna cry. That's cheap. Awesome, but cheap, lol.

Wait, isnt that how the Steelers got Rothlisberger? Had some injuries and a crappy season, wind up with the 11th pick?