Peyton Manning Speculation: Weighing Pros and Cons of Ditching Colts Superstar

The Indianapolis Colts know they are in trouble. Even with a healthy Peyton Manning they know they are in trouble.

Owner Jim Irsay and new GM Ryan Grigson have their work cut out for them, but making the decision on No. 18's future will be a joint venture between Irsay and Manning—Grigson will not be involved.

What the decision means for Manning is not as complicated as for the Colts organization.

The future Hall of Famer would obviously love to play out his contract as a member of the team that drafted him, but Indianapolis has to think of their long-term future.

There are positives and negatives to every decision and severing ties with No. 18 is a franchise altering move.

Is ditching Manning the best decision for the Colts organization?

Pros

The Colts hold the No. 1 overall pick and are expected to draft Stanford's Andrew Luck. The redshirt junior quarterback prospect is largely considered the best and most complete prospect since Manning himself.

In fact, he has more hype and no legitimate competition for the No. 1 spot the way Peyton did in 1998.

Luck has been atop the draft board for two years running, and he's the best chance the Colts will have at recreating the type of success they had with Peyton.

It won't be easy and it won't be overnight, but in the long run it is the best option for Indianapolis.

The Colts will also rid themselves of their financial ties to Peyton. With the new rookie wage scale, playing with Luck is a much more affordable situation than playing with Peyton for the next few years.

This team isn't ready to be competitive even with No. 18 under center. Everybody, fans and players alike, want to win, but it simply isn't realistic to think that way.

With the money not invested in Peyton, the Colts won't be living in fear of another injury and they can go out and add more players to help solidify the roster.

Colts players will want Peyton back, but in the long run it isn't the best call for this franchise.

Cons

He's Peyton freaking Manning. Not only is he one of the best in the league; he's one of the best to ever lace up a pair of cleats.

Peyton's No. 18 will be retired by the Colts, his Super Bowl XLI banner will hang from the rafters of wherever the Colts call home and his bust will reside in Canton with the likes of Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas and John Elway.

Peyton's health is obviously still in question, but he could go to a better team and instantly make them a contender.

And, worst-case scenario, he goes to an AFC team and possibly tangles with the Colts in the near future.

Aside from Peyton, the Colts would be putting the franchise in the hands of a rookie. In Peyton's rookie year, the Colts went 3-13.

Again, success won't come easy and it won't come overnight.

Final Verdict

Unless the Colts plan to keep Peyton and trade the No. 1 overall pick, they're going to have to sever ties with the superstar.

It isn't feasible for them to sink upwards of $50 million into a position where only one player can play when the rest of the roster has so many other holes.

Neither Peyton nor Luck are going to help their porous defense, but the money and/or picks they can save/acquire can.

If the Colts are hellbent on drafting Andrew Luck they need to move on from Peyton Manning.