Manning Eyes New Challenge: Playing Every Position as Team is Put on IR

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As injuries mount for the Colts, this headline might not be far off. Given that Manning is going to retire with almost every significant record, and has proven he only needs 14 minutes 53 seconds to win a game, it seems like he needs a new challenge.

As Colts players keep dropping onto I.R., or the operating table, this is only half hyperbole.  In the coming weeks the Colts have four tough games in a row (I don’t want to hear about records.) From the looks of it, they’re going to have to do it without their star players.

Bob Sanders:

For his $6.1 million dollar contract this year, Bob gave Colts fans one-and-a-half games. After finally getting on the field after recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, Bob hurt his elbow in last week’s win against the 49ers and is now out for the season.

Many people on this site, and my blog, wanted to burn me at the stake, after I wrote a piece daring to suggest that the Colts trade old Bob, because he wasn’t worth the money they’re paying him. After being branded a heretic, for daring to suggest such a thing, Bob proves me right.

The sad thing is, I don’t know now if he even has much trade value. Had he played the rest of the season, and kept putting  on performances like the one in the 49’ers game, maybe the Colts could have gotten a third or fourth round pick for him. After this latest news, I don’t think he’s tradable—though I do hold out hope that the Raiders or Redskins will make an offer.

It looks like the Colts have two choices with Bob: 1) Keep him another year and pay him $4,184,166 for who knows how many games. 2) Cut him and take a salary cap hit of $2,803,332 In my mind the choice is a no-brainer. Cut Bob Sanders.

Melvin Bullitt, now a starter, has been a very capable backup for the Colts. Let’s look at the numbers real quick.

Bullitt has been with the Colts for three years, though his first year he was on special teams. During his two years as a SS (his first year he played special teams so I didn’t count those numbers), he has accrued 95 tackles or 47.5 per game, five interceptions, and two forced fumbles. Keep in mind that he started only eight games in 2008.

Bullitt is also 6’ 1’’ tall and weighs 201 lbs.

In Bob Sanders's career as a Colt he has totaled 370 tackles over six years, or 62 per game, 6 interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

 Sanders is 5’ 8” tall, weighs 206 lbs, and has never played a 16-game season.

The only argument to counter cutting Sanders is the old “Yeah, but when he’s playing….” The key word here is “when” he’s playing.

Marlin Jackson:

Marlin Jackson became the starting corner back of the Colts in 2007. He and Kelvin Hayden formed a dynamic duo that were excellent zone corners, but also big time hitters in the running game, who helped the Colts defense rank third in the league in 2007—something that had never been done before under Tony Dungy’s tenure there as head coach.

In 2008, Jackson expected to take his game to the next level, after having a full year as a starter under his belt. Instead, in late October of 2008 he tore his ACL in a freak injury in practice. He was placed on I.R. for the rest of the year, while he underwent surgery and rehab.

Things were looking good for Marlin in 2009; he was ahead of schedule in his recovery from his ACL injury, and was playing for the Colts as a nickel-back as he rebuilt strength in his knees.

That is why the news coming out of Indy this week, that Marlin tore the ACL in his left knee during practice, is so sad. Again, for the second time in 12 months Marlin, has been placed on I.R., and will have to get surgery on his knee.

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