Why Peyton Manning, Not Colts, Has Final Say on Indy's Draft Strategy

You have to think it will be difficult for the Indianapolis Colts to pass the card to the podium in April and hear NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announce that the team that has prided itself on having arguably the best quarterback in the NFL over the last decade is selecting his successor.

But that is exactly what the Colts should do. There is only one caveat to that: They should allow Peyton Manning to be a part of that draft process.

While Manning has said the right things, been the helpful mentor on the sideline and looked as intently as any coach on the Colts staff, he should not be left out of the plans of the team that helped to make one of the most successful in NFL history.

Manning has been sidelined with a neck injury that required three surgeries and his return, which was expected at the halfway point of the season, never materialized. And the man who stood on the sideline and made $26 million this season and is due $28 million in 2012, said openly stated he wants to play again next year.

Now, there is talk he and Andrew Luck, who is expected to be the first overall pick out of Stanford will coexist in Indianapolis next year.

Ultimately, it is Manning who will have the final who will be the team's top choice in 2012. His word may be the most important one so there can be peace among the masses.

The Colts and Manning need to be fair to each other. While the Irsays need to locate a successor to the man who looks to turn 36 before the 2012 draft, Manning needs to understand the team's need for replacement at some point.

But the reason Manning should be included in the Colts final say on draft day is simple, he is a "Michael Jordan" in terms of importance to the game and the team. Keeping him happy is important to the continuity of the team.

Keeping Manning out of the loop would only create more of a hassle that in the end could only lead to more strife on a team that went through enough of that this past NFL season.