If you're Bill Polian

[frash.exe]

...and you end up with the 2nd overall pick with a QB whose health is in question, what are you willing to give up to the Rams out of a talent pool that is no where near as good as previously thought while Peyton was taking snaps under center?

I mean hypothetically, the Rams just drafted Bradford in 2010 and in no way are they going to get rid of him before Spagnuolo, especially only after his second year as a QB, but if they end up with the first overall pick they will try to get as much as they possibly can. So what can the Colts compete with other teams besides having a higher pick (no.2)? Your 2013 first rounder? Freeney? Clark? Is Luck really worth giving up one or more of your best players?

Also none of the winless teams will face each other this season. Hypothetically, they can all lose out, although I do see Miami winning at least one game on their remaining schedule. They've been coming close and they meet the Pats in week 16, who might have clinched everything they can by then. But the Rams have lost by double digits in nearly every single game and this SNF just looks like practice for the Saints right now.

[Grammer]

I made a thread similar to this a while back before the season, heres the OP

Should the Colts trade a poo ton of their players? They are a team on the way down and were unbearably frugal this free agency. It was pretty stupid that they only seemed to have focused on resigning manning and chose not to continue to give the team a chance to be a legitimate contender. Now with manning potentially not being ready for the season opener, why not just trade him, instead of wasting a whole year of his time, and the teams.

Also with Manning, they have quite a few aging good-elite players in Wayne, Peyton, Mathis, freeney and Clark who could fetch a huge haul of picks. Meanwhile this team without Peyton is probably the worst team in the league, this team without those five players is a near lock to get Luck, especially with Caldwell actually having to do his job. Peyton would probably fetch two firsts and a third. The DE's probably a second and third each(or fourth instead). Clark/Reggie probably a third + fifth? They already have a decent solid 2/3/4 wr group in garçon, collie, and gonzalez, and could easily get a guy like blackmon to give luck. While focusing on the defense/oline with the rest of the picks. It would still be a 2-3 year process, but way better than trying to take this team to a bowl and then being completely screwed when their time runs out.

[JawnyBlaze]

I don't think they'd trade players. Maybe their #2 overall plus this and next year's 2nds should secure it for them. Rams would be getting two 2nd round picks for free basically, since they'd be guaranteed to still get the guy they want.

[Swarly]

this whole Colts situation has shown that Bill Polian is the most overrated GM in the NFL who happened to get lucky enough to get a job that put him in the position to select Manning.

there is a reason when Brady went down the Patriots still won 11 games, while the Colts are on the verge of a winless season.. the Colts are fuging awful drafters and have put all their eggs into one guys basket.

[blackcatgrowl]

this whole Colts situation has shown that Bill Polian is the most overrated GM in the NFL who happened to get lucky enough to get a job that put him in the position to select Manning.

there is a reason when Brady went down the Patriots still won 11 games, while the Colts are on the verge of a winless season.. the Colts are fuging awful drafters and have put all their eggs into one guys basket.

Exactly.

[charlotte49er]

this whole Colts situation has shown that Bill Polian is the most overrated GM in the NFL who happened to get lucky enough to get a job that put him in the position to select Manning.

there is a reason when Brady went down the Patriots still won 11 games, while the Colts are on the verge of a winless season.. the Colts are fuging awful drafters and have put all their eggs into one guys basket.

This is the most laughable post this year! :smilielol5: (This guy will have to do, I couldn't find the rolling icon guy.)

Where to start. Again, I will reiterate. In the year of the salary cap, teams can't afford to keep 2 franchise QB's on the roster! New England was lucky to have Cassel who never took a snap and step in when Brady went down. Remember, even Brady was a 6th round draft pick riding the bench. when Bledsoe went down.

If you look at the Colts drafts since Polian got there, you will see that the Colts are at or near the top each year in their drafting. They promote from within and almost never go out and buy a winning team via free agency! Their kicker from New England was the only big named Free Agent that the Colts have signed during Polian's run!

Polian has stepped down as General manager, his son now runs the show. However, when you have Peyton Manning at QB where's the value at spending millions on someone to simply hold the clip board. Peyton has always said the one record he wanted to Farve "starts" record. He pretty much gave that up, when Farve un-retired, what at least 2 times?

The injury to Manning, didn't even happen last year. He played the entire season last year in pain! Even Superman has to rely on his Justice League America members sometime.

The Colts did sign Kerry Collins at the beginning. At least they didn't go get Vinny Testaverde like the Panthers did when Jake went down in 2007 into the season. (How did that turn out??) Let's see, there was Jake, who went down after 2-3 games? Then there was Carr, Vinny, Moore. Am I leaving anyone out? And the Panthers had a middle tier schedule from being 8-8 the year before. (They finished 7-9.)

Vinny Testaverde (6) / David Carr (4) / Matt Moore (3) / Jake Delhomme (3)

(#) denotes number of games started.

The Colts after Peyton's first season has had the toughest schedule every year due to being at the top! this year included.

Jeff George said he'd come back to Indy! :eek: (He said that of the Raiders as well and Minnesota!)

To say that this rests on Polian's shoulders is ludicrous. It's not easy to replace a HOF QB. Just ask the Broncos, Dallas and San Francisco! How long has it taken for those teams to come back to form after Montana/Young, Aikman and Elway? At least San Fran had Steve Young to come in. (Pre-Salary cap era!)

For that matter, how long has it taken the Panthers to recover from Delhomme leading them to the Super Bowl? (What's their record this year?)

Who knows what Kerry Collins could have done this year with the Colts. (They might have been 2 - 5 instead of 0 - 7.) I might have preferred Carr over Painter. Matt Moore is better than Painter! Jeff George? NO!

Supposedly, Jimmy Irsay met with Brett Farve to run the Colts until Manning gets back. (Unconfirmed.)

This 4 MVP's that Peyton has won, is looking pretty puny now. He might win his 5th without take a snap under Center this year! :D

It's also quite obvious that the Defense has quit as well this year. You could tell that during the Pittsburgh game. One that the Colts could have one, BTW. You could tell that they were only running at 1/2 speed against New Orleans. Their missed tackles were almost to the point of being blatant.

Of course, New Orleans, Chicago and San Francisco and I believe Buffalo were the few teams that practiced during the lock out.

Now at least there is Rookie Salary Cap now. The Colts could draft Luck, let him ride the bench/hold the clip board and in a couple of years, provided Peyton doesn't retire after this year, then run the Colts. (Cooper Manning isn't playing football due to neck problems! Or there would be 3 Manning QB's in the NFL!) This scenario is in my prayers!

Also, I pray, that at the end of the season, the Colts replace Caldwell! I'm scared that the Colts will fire Caldwell and replace him with Tressel and he'll win some of the rest of the games this year! Tressel will be with the Colts for the next scheduled game. I'd like to see Jack Del Rio come in.

So to say this rests all with Polian, is not even close!

Come on Rams & Dolphins! Win one for the Gipper!

[Swarly]

^^ they have an all time great at quarterback and have had him for over a decade. they have one super bowl to show for it.

the GM has not built a good team around Manning and it is showing. the one year they did win it all was when the Colts defense stepped up and carried Manning. look at their recent draft history, it's a joke.

btw Matt Cassel was able to step in and win games because Belichick knows how to build a successful TEAM. The Colts have thrown all their eggs into Mannings basket and look at where it got them. The Patriots are loaded with talent all around and if Brady didn't play they would still be an elite team because of it.

[X-Clown]

^^ they have an all time great at quarterback and have had him for over a decade. they have one super bowl to show for it.

And yet, every other fanbase outside of New England and Pittsburgh, and MAYBE the NY Giants (although they haven't been the model of consistency) would have loved to have Indy's success over that same timeframe.

[Jase]

If I'm bill polian, I'm taking a hard look at how badly I've actually drafted over the past 10 years, and go completely against my own instincts.

[Swarly]

And yet, every other fanbase outside of New England and Pittsburgh, and MAYBE the NY Giants (although they haven't been the model of consistency) would have loved to have Indy's success over that same timeframe.

You'll get no argument from me there. You can't deny almost all of that is due to Peyton Manning though. The guy just hasn't built a good team.

[Peppers90 NC]

Yea I dont get how they are near the top in drafting these past 10 years. And I have to question the judgement giving Manning $90+ million without knowing his health status. But his value is more than that I just hope he can get back to form next year.

[charlotte49er]

^^ they have an all time great at quarterback and have had him for over a decade. they have one super bowl to show for it.

the GM has not built a good team around Manning and it is showing. the one year they did win it all was when the Colts defense stepped up and carried Manning. look at their recent draft history, it's a joke.

btw Matt Cassel was able to step in and win games because Belichick knows how to build a successful TEAM. The Colts have thrown all their eggs into Mannings basket and look at where it got them. The Patriots are loaded with talent all around and if Brady didn't play they would still be an elite team because of it.

Won one Super Bowl and lost one Super Bowl, so 1 -1.

Since 1999, only the New England Patriots have been to more Super Bowls. Indianapolis is tied with Pittsburgh and New York Football Giants at 2 appearances each, all 1 -1.

How many teams would like to get there once? Or even win once?

Yes, New England is a very well coached team. I may not like Belichek as a person, but I can't argue with his results. I certainly would take Belichek over Caldwell any day! (Probably over Dungy!)

Oh, and for the last 4 years, Tom Brady made more $$$$ than Peyton Manning! In fact, Brady makes more than Peyton this year, due to renegotiating Peyton's salary. So the assumption the Indy spent more on Manning than New England has on Brady, doesn't hold water. (That's why the Colts were able to keep so many of their players who were Free Agents this year.)

Of the last 10 years in the #1 position that Bill Polian and Tony Dungy drafted, only 2 are out of football. Edge and Bob Sanders, both retired. Sanders, injuries did him in or he'd still be with the Colts. The other 8, are still with the Colts. And #2 draft pick from 12 years ago, Mike Peterson is still starting for the Falcons.

Do you want to talk about the Panthers Draft history during the same

period? 2009 & 2010 the Panthers didn't have a #1 because they traded it away.

[charlotte49er]

Yea I dont get how they are near the top in drafting these past 10 years. And I have to question the judgement giving Manning $90+ million without knowing his health status. But his value is more than that I just hope he can get back to form next year.

What are you going to do? Not pay him and let him go via Free Agancy and get nothing for Peyton? Also, renegotiating his salary allowed the Colts to sign their Free Agents. He makes less this year with the new contract then he would have with the Franchise player tag.

For the past 4 years, Tom Brady has made more than Peyton has. Most of that 90 Million is end of contract loaded. (A trick very popular with football GM's for that reason.)

[Swarly]

also the Colts willingly hired Jim Caldwell

looool