Why Colts Must Move Peyton Manning Deadline, Buy Time to Evaluate QB

It's another day in the National Football League, which means it's another opportunity for sports writers to do some more endless speculating about the playing future of quarterback Peyton Manning, both for the Indianapolis Colts and in the NFL in general.

A tweet by Dave Furst, an Indianapolis sports broadcaster, shines a light on yet another possibility for Manning's future. This possibility makes a whole lot more sense for the Colts than 99 percent of the rumors that have been swirling for the past several weeks.

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Fresh #JimIrsay on #Peyton coming up at 5 @rtv6. Says moving March 8th deadline being discussed. Saw 18 workout and is pleased. #Colts

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If the Colts truly are prepared to part ways with Manning, and if they can agree to terms on a "delay" of payment on Manning's $28 million roster bonus until after the beginning of free agency, then Indianapolis can at least try to work out some sort of trade involving the four-time MVP instead of just releasing him outright and receiving nothing in return.

Even if it means adding a bit more to the bonus in "interest" so that the Colts can buy some time to try to work a trade a few million more dollars (as awful as that sounds) spent, that makes a lot more sense for the long-term health of the franchise than just letting its face (and forehead) walk out the door.

However, even if the payment should be delayed, there's still a chance that Manning could end up released, as making a trade work involving a player of his caliber (assuming he's healthy for 2012) would be no easy feat. The Colts would almost certainly want compensation in the form of picks and players of a magnitude the likes of which the NFL has rarely seen. But there are likely precious few franchises in the National Football League willing to take that big of a risk on a 35 year-old quarterback who has serious durability concerns, which have been further fueled by recent reports regarding Manning's rehab.

There's also the small matter of Manning's not-so-small five-year, $90 million contract, which any team acquiring him in a trade would likely want reworked before a deal is consummated.

This all may be moot if we don't begin to start hearing more positive news about Manning's recovery. It's become seriously debatable as to whether he'll ever play again. But if the Colts can get an extension on that Godzilla of a roster bonus, they can at least buy some time to explore their options and make the best of a parting that not too long ago seemed inconceivable.

Or maybe it wasn't. After all, who thought we'd ever have seen Johnny Unitas in a San Diego Chargers uniform?