2012 NFL Draft: Andrew Luck Reportedly Set to Sign with Manning's Agent

Reports have surfaced that Andrew Luck is set to sign with the agency that represents Peyton Manning. This is a unique situation that points to the fact that Manning and Luck have a plan in place as to what they want the future to hold.

The Colts have not yet locked up the first selection in the draft, however, they are clearly in the driver's seat for that pick.

The Rumor

According to Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports, "word in the agent community is that Luck is expected to sign with agents Tom Condon and Ben Dogra of Creative Artists Agency. Condon and CAA also represent Manning."

What this means, is that Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning are on the same page regarding their future. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk outlines this beautifully: 

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A decision by Luck, who undoubtedly will be advised on this aspect of his pro football career by his father, Oliver, to sign with Condon and Dogra would confirm the existence of a coordinated plan between Peyton and Andrew.  Oliver Luck, who has a law degree, understands the concept of a conflict of interest, and he realizes that CAA would be unable to effectively service the interests of Peyton and Andrew, if those interests don’t fully align.

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What those interests are, is open to speculation, but there are only so many choices.

Options for Luck/Manning

The first option is that Manning and the Colts would decide to part ways. Manning could force the Colts' hand in this by refusing to delay his $28-million balloon payment. This would almost certainly lead to the Colts cutting him loose.

The second option is that Luck would make it known that he wants the Colts to trade the rights to draft him. He could do this by telling them he would not sign a contract with them while Peyton Manning is still on the roster.

The third option is that Luck would agree to come in and be Peyton Manning's backup.

Looking into the Future

The Colts would be wise to see what kind of offers they can get for the Luck pick. If they can get a package of solid veterans in return they could put themselves in position to make a run at more Lombardi trophies while Manning is still at the helm.

If they are unable to find a suitable trade package, they need to draft Luck and say goodbye to Manning. Luck is not the kind of QB that needs to come in and sit for a couple of years behind a veteran QB. He is a four-year college player, and he has been playing in a pro-style system.

To have Luck come in and be a backup is not a beneficial situation for anyone. The Colts need to maximize their value with this pick. That means either trading Luck, or cutting Manning loose and start planning for the future.