Peyton Manning Injury: Colts Should Pursue Tim Tebow to Salvage Lost Season

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will likely miss the rest of the season due to a lingering neck problem, according to WISH-TV. With only a banged up Kerry Collins and a dreadful Curtis Painter left on the roster, the Colts should attempt a radical move and trade for Denver Broncos QB Tim Tebow.

Why? It's simple.

The Colts are doomed without Manning. Their dream of becoming the first team to play in the Super Bowl on home turf is over. So why not bring in a money-making machine that will sell tickets and merchandise and give fans a reason to tune in every Sunday?

It's clear that Tebow is not a part of the Broncos' plans moving forward and he probably wouldn't be a part of the Colts', either. That said, he can't be any worse than Painter, who missed a wide open Pierre Garcon to cost the Colts their first win on Sunday.

Regardless of whether or not you like Tebow, there is no denying his popularity. It's unprecedented for a second-year quarterback with 82 career pass attempts to be one of the most marketable players in the entire NFL.

That's the case with Tebow.

His arrival would dominate the headlines on ESPN for weeks. Heck, the Worldwide Leader in Sports spent 10 minutes breaking down his handful of snaps as a wide receiver, can you imagine if he was traded? Chaos.

And that's just what the Colts need right now—something to shake up the fanbase and keep them interested in the season. You can bet there would be a mad rush of ticket sales to Florida residents if Indianapolis took a chance on their favorite son. Little Timmy would breathe some life into an otherwise dull season.

While the initial urge would be to say the idea is crazy, what's the worst that can happen?

For all intensive purposes, the season is finished. There is no chance of making the playoffs. It's clear that Collins' productive days are over and it is painfully obvious that Painter was another swing-and-miss by Bill Polian.

Polian, who is widely praised for building the Colts into a powerhouse, has been missing way too frequently on draft picks in recent seasons. His last three first-round picks (Anthony Gonzalez, Donald Brown and Jerry Hughes) are all busts and the level of draft classes since the 2003 haul of Dallas Clark, Robert Mathis and Cato June is subpar at best.

Bringing in Tebow would almost guarantee Lucas Oil Stadium would be full for the remaining home games and his jerseys would fly off the racks. From draft day last season through June 30, Tebow led the league in jersey sales.

That's amazing—and it's also why the Colts should explore the option of adding him to the team.

Tebow might cost the price of a mid-round pick because the Broncos won't want to claim a total loss and accept a seventh rounder. But with Polian's spotty draft record in recent seasons, it really doesn't matter.

It would be good business for Indianapolis to trade for Tebow and, in a season where the football on the field has been atrocious, doing good business is about all the Colts can hope for at this point.

Besides, the results can't be any worse than they've been through three weeks.