Chris Simms backing up Peyton Manning?

Photo: Cliff Welch/Icon SMI

The Colts did not draft a back-up QB in this year’s draft, though they did sign a free agent rookie named Adam Tafralis out of San Jose State. While I’m sure Tafralis is a fine kid, he strikes me as yet another Josh Betts, aka a warm body who works on the practice squad and occasionally plays in some pre-season games. Tafralis did get invited to the Combine, and while his scouting report is not bad, it is certainly nothing to get excited about:

Late developing passer whose improvement in poise and accuracy gave scouts reason to consider him in the late rounds or free agency. A gritty player who offered to switch positions two years ago because he was disappointed in his own performance, Tafralis showed significant improvement each of the past two seasons. Despite his development, there remain legitimate concerns about his arm strength and ability to escape pressure.

So, with it increasingly obvious (at least to me) that longtime back-up QB Jim Sorgi is simply not an option if Peyton Manning were to get hurt, I ask the obvious question: Will the Colts sign a QB cut during or after Training Camp?

If they do, an interesting candidate is Tampa Bay’s Chris Simms. Let’s be honest, the Glazers and Jon Gruden are acting like jackholes with the way they are handling Chris Simms. It’s obvious he is not going to play for the Bucs unless someone tosses a grenade into the QB film session room, wiping out Jeff Garcia, Brian Greise, Josh Johnson, and about 15 other QBs the Bucs currently have on their roster not named Chris Simms. So, keeping Simms around seems kind of cruel, but I guess we are used to such antics from the Glazers and "Chucky."

I know Simms would rather play for a team he has a chance to win the starting job on, but the fact of that matter is Simms needs to prove he is 100% healthy. From AOL Fanhouse:

Nobody really knows [Simms'] current form. His throwing motion was reportedly ruined after his spleen was removed. Has it recovered? Could he return to his 2005 form, when he led the Bucs to the playoffs? Or is he done as an NFL quarterback, and if so, are the Glazers just keeping him on the payroll out of guilt, or out of fear that he'll become a starter for another team?

The only thing for sure here is that Gruden really wants to move on without Simms. Perhaps the Bucs should as well.

If Simms’ throwing motion has been affected by his serious injury from 2006, then what Simms needs to do (if he wishes to remain in the NFL) is prove to people he can still fling the football. Simms has a strong arm, and he would work perfectly in the Colts offense. He’d get a lot of time to show his stuff in pre-season, and if the Colts sign him to a one-year deal he can rest and learn under Peyton, Tom Moore, and Tony Dungy. After one year, if he works his butt of as a back-up and hits the free agency market, he’ll have more value than he does now. Right now, he’s damaged goods.

If Simms is healthy, I think he is a tremendous upgrade over Sorgi, who I’ve lost confidence in.