Archie Manning on Tuesday poured cold water on the idea of his son, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, and Stanford passer Andrew Luck playing together on the same team.
In Archie's thinking, Luck -- who intends to apply for entry into the 2012 draft -- is ready to play immediately. It's unknown where Luck will wind up, but if Indy comes calling in April, any plans for keeping Manning and Luck on one roster appear massively expensive for the Colts.
On the flip side, the concept of trading Peyton comes with a staggering price tag, according to estimates from The Indianapolis Star:
» If the Colts retained Manning for 2012, then shipped him to another team, Indy would absorb a $28.8 million cap hit that year, the newspaper reported.
» If Manning remains with the Colts through the 2013 season, and then is traded, the team would absorb an immediate $19.2 million cap hit.
» Any scenario that includes paying Manning his March option bonus and then trading him away would generate a $38.8 million cap hit.
This is premature talk until Luck's future is official, but with Manning's contract bogging down the team, one has to wonder -- Andrew Luck aside -- just how certain the Colts are about a future with Peyton at the helm.
Owner Jim Irsay, prone to enigma, tweeted this early Wednesday: "I can't describe 4u what the new day will look like,but I have seen it n my dreams like a dozen springs ago/U will need ur own eyes 2believe."
