Reggie Wayne: No Reason for Colts to Keep Peyton Manning If Star WR Departs

Reggie Wayne's upcoming free agency holds the key to the Colts deciding between Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning.

The Colts are the leaders in the clubhouse to land the No. 1 overall draft pick and the rights to draft Andrew Luck. They also have Peyton Manning recovering from his multiple neck surgeries and seemingly on track to return to the field next year.

This is going to lead to a big decision for the Colts franchise. One that will be much easier if what can be gleaned by reading between the lines of Wayne's recent comments are correct.

Wayne is Prepared to Say Goodbye

Wayne was asked by a reporter if Thursday's night game against the Texans would be his last game in Indianapolis as a member of the Colts. Here is his answer via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk:

"

Well, it could. I am well aware of that and I’ve come to the conclusion that in every athlete’s career they are going to be faced with this decision at some point in time, whether it is a long career or a short career.

"

While Wayne stops far short of saying he is definitely not returning to Indianapolis, it is in what he didn't say that is revealing. 

The star receiver doesn't profess any strong desire to return to the Colts, or confidence that the team will return to power next season.

Purely reading between the lines, it is clear that Wayne is ready to move on. If he was contemplating a return to the Colts, he would have voiced a stronger sentiment on his likelihood of returning.

What This Means for Colts and Manning

It would be a waste to have Luck and Manning on the same roster. Luck is not the kind of player who is going to benefit from sitting. He stayed in college for four years, and he has been playing in a pro-style system.

Luck is ready to learn by playing.

This means that the Colts need to decide between Manning or Luck. If they are going to go with Manning, then they want to stock up on veterans, and get this team in a position to make a Super Bowl run in the near future.

In that case, they need Manning's favorite receiver, Reggie Wayne, on the field. This team is going to have enough holes to fill without having to try and replace Wayne too.

If Wayne walks in free agency, it is time for the Colts to commit to Luck, and rebuild with their eye on the future. That means parting ways with one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game.