Robert Griffin: Do the Indianapolis Colts Really Want Him?

Are the Colts seriously interested in drafting Robert Griffin? According to Michael Wilbon they are:

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It’s not like I’m following this closely, but I had the occasion over the weekend to talk to a couple of people who have intimate knowledge of what the Colts are thinking. And you and I have talked very briefly on the show about are they still considering RGIII? Tony, I’m told they are.

“And I’m told that the main reason they are is because there are people in the organization and people they consult—and now you consult all these different people about something as important as a number one overall draft pick, a maybe once in a generation pick. And they are of the opinion, some people that are having input into this pick, that RGIII is better in the pocket.

“They have stats, they have analysis, they have information that says to them it’s Luck who is faster to leave the pocket and not be as good in the pocket. And RGIII is better in the pocket, he’s a better pocket passer, better arm. And that they are seriously still considering RGIII

"

It's a day late for April Fool's pranks, so it's obvious that Michael Wilbon meant every word of his startling report today. So in light of these stunning words, have I changed my position that Indy is drafting Luck and any move to Griffin would be a major mistake?

Nope. Not a little bit.

So why would the Colts be sending out these signals if they have already made up their mind?

Here are the theories starting from the least probable and winding up at the truth.

5. The Colts really want Griffin

Sorry, not buying it. If they were making a late-in-the-game push to go after Luck then that means they didn't have enough information back in March to cut Peyton Manning.

Literally nothing has changed between January and now that would make the Colts reevaluate their position on the two quarterbacks. No matter how much the media wants fans to absorb every combine and workout detail, the truth is that in this case both Luck and Griffin are known quantities. The Colts are not going to over-think this one.

4. The Colts don't want the next Manning

Only incrementally more plausible is that the front office wants a clean break with the past.

After purging all the familiar faces from the Indy roster, they don't want to take a Peyton clone. RG3 is going to be an amazing player, but will probably play a different style from Manning.

That's exactly the opposite of what Wilbon's quote implied, but it's true. If the Colts want to ease pressure on the next quarterback, taking RG3 would avoid some of the more "on the nose" comparisons with Manning that Luck will face.

As smart and charismatic as Griffin is, he's not the son of a former NFL player who excelled academically, came back for an extra season and didn't win the Heisman, and his greatest strength is not audibling at the line.

3. The Colts want to scare the Redskins

Hey, Dan Snyder is crazy right? Maybe the Colts can snag some more bounty out of Washington if they think the 'Skins are in love with RG3?

It would be a risk, of course, but maybe Washington ponies up another pick or two, just to secure the right to Griffin. Granted, they don't have any left, but I'm sure there's a 2020 pick left to trade.

2. Ryan Grigson wants to make a name for himself

Bill Polian already had four Executive of the Year Awards under his belt when he took Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf.

He could afford to play it safe. Grigson has a solid reputation, but he's a rookie GM. If he takes Luck, and Luck goes on to be a star, what credit will Grigson get?

None.

If he takes Griffin, and he's the next Steve Young, then Grigson goes down as a genius.

Everything I just wrote is nonsense. There isn't a plausible word among the last 300. There is one and only one reason these rumors are coming out now.

1. It's all about the money

Friends, it is always about the money in the NFL. The Colts are negotiating with the No.1 pick in the draft. Jim Irsay has done this a few times. He gave Jeff George the biggest contract in the league before he ever played a snap.

Later he negotiated with Steve Emtman and got him to sign a smaller deal by threatening to take Quentin Coryatt first overall. No one remembers this, but Peyton Manning didn't make it to his first training camp on time because of a holdout over the contract.

Andrew Luck is not being represented by a well-known agency. They need to make a name for themselves by landing a big deal. Irsay and the Colts are fighting back with the only leverage they have. They are threatening not to take Luck.

This isn't waffling, it's negotiation.

The end result is set in stone. The Colts are going to take Luck. The only question is how much that first contract will cost them.

The draft can't get here soon enough.