Andrew Luck Is Better off If the Colts Pass on Him, Stick with Peyton Manning

Andrew Luck has made it known that he will enter the 2012 NFL draft, and the 0-12 Indianapolis Colts are almost certain to have the top pick in that draft. Luck should have absolutely no desire to play for Indianapolis, a team that already has a franchise quarterback in Peyton Manning.

I sincerely believe that Manning will be pack next season, and if so, he has to be the Colts' starting quarterback. That means Luck will be relegated to clipboard duty. While that type of situation would be ideal for most quarterback prospects, Luck is not most quarterback prospects.

The Stanford signal-caller has the ability to play in the NFL right now, and he deserves that shot. If the Colts have the top selection, Luck should be praying that they move the pick to a team that actually needs a quarterback. 

Nationally, many experts are debating whether or not Manning and Luck could co-exist on the same roster. I do not think they could. The Colts will not cut Manning this offseason. The four-time MVP is and may always be the fact of the franchise. Cutting him loose would be a horrible PR move, especially given the fact that he likely still has a few years worth of solid football ahead of him. 

Luck has to know that he would have to be absolutely perfect from the get-go if he is going to replace Indianapolis' icon. Manning is easily one of the best to ever play the quarterback position, and Luck may not ever be able to live up to what he has done. That would simply be too much pressure on the young man, and even though he has the kind of mentality to survive it, it wouldn't be fair to him.

If the Colts did jettison Manning to draft Luck, the first time the young quarterback struggled, people would question the move. On the flip side, if Indianapolis kept both players, the fanbase would almost certainly be split by a quarterback controversy. 

Indianapolis can avoid all of that by simply trading the pick away for the king's ransom of picks and players that would almost certainly come back in return. Luck should be praying that such a scenario works out.