Peyton Manning: 5 Quarterback Solutions to Save Indianapolis Colts Season

With news breaking that Peyton Manning will most likely miss the entire season, something most of us thought but refused to believe, the Colts must seek other options at quarterback.

Kerry Collins suffered a possible concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night, and backup Curtis Painter filled in admirably for him, but the team had no depth beyond that.

Punter Pat McAfee was next on the depth chart if Painter went down, and it certainly seemed like the Steelers were trying to make that happen with all the blitzes that they sent against Painter.

I personally believe the best option for the Colts would be to tank the season and sign an average-Joe journeyman off the street for depth, but Indianapolis fans aren’t accustomed to losing.

Here are five quarterbacks who are proven winners that have led teams on playoff runs before, and who are available for the Colts to turn around their quickly fading season.

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Brett Favre

This isn’t the first time that Favre’s name has been floated around as possibly filling in for Manning this season.

Colts’ owner Jim Irsay tweeted back on August 21, “Brad,I'm in Hattiesburg... is it right or left at the Firechief?”

This fueled speculation that Irsay was down in Favre’s hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and was interested in bringing in the quarterback to play in Manning’s absence.

Favre is going to be 42 years old in two weeks, but he played in the NFL as recently as last season. He was productive as a 40-year-old and took the Vikings to the NFC Championship game back in 2010. 

Marc Bulger

Chris Mortensen reported that the 34-year-old Marc Bulger did not want to play football anymore when the Colts inquired earlier in the season.

However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and the Colts could make Bulger an offer he can’t refuse at this point.

If the team really wants to turn their season around, Bulger might be the best option.

He last started a game back in 2009 on a pitiful Rams team that would have made me want to retire, too, but playing with the solid Indianapolis receiving corps would be much more than what he had to work with his final year in St. Louis.

Bulger could have a Favre-like revival with Indianapolis and turn the team around in a wide-open AFC South.

Carson Palmer

Palmer hates the Cincinnati Bengals so much that he walked away from football when they refused to trade him.

Perhaps the Bengals brass would listen to an offer from the Colts now, who may be interested in adding the former No. 1 overall pick.

Andy Dalton has looked sharp for the team and comes at a much more reasonable price than Palmer would. They could also add youthful talent or draft picks to a young team that is building for the future at this point.

Carson would definitely be able to turn this team around, and he is the best "available" quarterback on the market.

David Garrard

The surprise cut of the 2011 NFL offseason could be a great option for the Colts to target with Collins potentially out and Painter proven to not be a starter in this league.

Garrard has proven to be a serviceable player in this league and knows the Colts as well as anyone, facing them regularly as the starting quarterback on a divisional rival since he entered the league in 2002.

He is currently sitting around, waiting for a call from an NFL team, and the Colts may just give him a ring. I see no reason why they wouldn’t be interested in adding him for a veteran’s minimum deal. 

Andrew Luck

Sign anyone but a quarterback who is going to win you games.

Go after J.P. Losman, Chad Pennington, Brian St. Pierre or J.T. O’Sullivan. Heck, even Jim Sorgi is available.

Add one of these scrubs because the Colts really don’t have a chance of competing for a Super Bowl this season, so why not ensure your franchise is competitive for the next 15 years by drafting Luck?

If Manning mentors Luck over the next few seasons, he will be more than prepared to start a Hall of Fame career in the NFL. The Colts would have the best quarterback of this generation and someone who is primed to become the best of the future on the same roster.

I believe this is the best option, and the Colts should consider this season a necessary down year to prepare for the future.