Peyton Manning: Indianapolis Colts Would Regret Getting Rid of Star QB

Having yet to win a game this season, the Indianapolis Colts have some big decisions to make regarding their future, but if they have any plans to dump Peyton Manning to focus on life with Andrew Luck, they would be sadly mistaken. 

We've seen this season how bad the Colts are without Manning, and there is no guarantee that Luck will be a mega hit right from the start. Sure, he's got all the characteristics you want in your first-round pick, but Indianapolis is far better off with Manning. 

It's a wonder if the Colts will win a game at all this season, but it's becoming very clear they're locks for the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

All signs point to them drafting Luck, but ditching one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game for some hyped up rookie is absolutely ludicrous.

Let's not forget that this is a guy who's been a Super Bowl MVP, selected to 11 Pro Bowls and won four AP NFL MVP awards. 

If healthy enough for the 2012 season, the only way Manning wouldn't be the starter is if he weren't on the team, which wouldn't end well for the Colts. 

Manning is the Colts, and he should finish out his career in Indianapolis. Too often do great quarterbacks ruin the final years of their career because they venture off to a different team. 

There's no telling what Manning will do if the Colts draft Luck, but one thing's for sure; he still wants to play. 

Missing this whole season has to be killing him, especially because the team would easily win the division if he were playing.

Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star quoted Manning saying, "I've never known who we were going to draft in years past. It's been insinuated that [vice chairman Bill Polian] checks with me. I'm not in personnel. I don't do personnel."

Still, though, Manning should give his input on the matter, and let the team know he plans to be around awhile. I don't see how they couldn't know that already, but at the same time, the Colts have to do something for their future. 

This is why Indianapolis should draft Luck and have him sit behind Manning for a couple of years. Of course, tensions will rise in the later years much like they did with Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, but it's the best option the Colts have right now.

Letting Luck go wouldn't be smart, but starting him right away over Manning is even more of a bad decision. 

It's a tough dilemma the Colts face, but the answer right now is Manning. If anything, Luck is just an insurance policy for Manning before he earns the starting job. 

One could argue that Manning might not want to stay if they draft the quarterback of the future, but this is his team, and I don't see him wanting to leave. He was awarded a large and lengthy contract before this season began, which made it obvious he wants to be with this team until he's ready to call it quits. 

The Colts started playing awful this season, the talk of "Suck for Luck" arose and people seemed to forget about Manning. 

Some will say that he shouldn't want to play for a team that is headed for an 0-16 season, however, if you plug Manning back in at quarterback this team wins 10 games easily. The talent level that Manning would be working with can still compete at a high level, but people fail to realize that because the team is down with no true leader. 

Luck has the potential to be great, but choosing him right now over a quarterback everybody knows is great would tear apart the Colts, and they'd certainly regret doing it.