Why Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning Shouldn't Want to Be on the Same Team

Over the past few days there has been a ton of speculation about whether or not Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning could coexist on the same team. With Luck headed for the 2012 NFL draft and the Indianapolis Colts almost guaranteed to own the top pick in April, I don't expect that discussion to end anytime soon.

While people may think it would be an idea situation for Luck to sit behind Manning, one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, it could also be a disaster. 

Frankly, both Luck and Manning are competitors; they both want to be the unquestioned leaders of their respective teams, and they shouldn't have any interest in being on the same roster. 

Anyone who has watched Luck in college knows he's ready to make the leap to being a starter in the NFL right now. And it seems the days of letting a highly drafted quarterback mature and develop on the bench are over. Last year Sam Bradford stepped in and played right away, and this season Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder and Andy Dalton have all been thrown into the fire. Luck is light years beyond all of those guys. 

If the Colts select Luck in April, they have to do something with Manning. It will be extremely difficult to trade the four-time MVP because of the gigantic contract he signed before the 2011 season. If they move him before the 2012 season the cap hit to the Colts would be $38.8 million, and if they hold onto him, then move him before the 2013 year, they would take a hit of $28.8 million.

Quite simply, the Colts could not draft Luck and be competitive because of the amount of money tied up in Manning's contract. They wouldn't have the financial flexibility to improve their aging roster with those two guys signed to deals.

Luck and Manning both will want to play and neither would yield the job gracefully to the other. We should expect nothing less from two ultra-competitive guys.