As we all know, this week's game in Jacksonville will determine which team is on the clock and has "won" the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Colts lose and the first pick is ours, Colts win and it depends on the Rams. This is all old news.
The players will not roll over. We have seen that the last two weeks. This team has fight. These players have heart. The question is, what would you like the Colts to do. Should the front office force the loss? What will that look like on the field? Is that a way to start a new calendar year?
Attached you will find a poll. Vote and leave your comments. Personally, I want the Colts to win. If you jump with me, I'll tell you why. I'll go even farther; I will actually be happier if the Colts DON'T get the first overall pick.
Before you all jump on the kill the writer bandwagon let me explain.
Yes, the first pick would be nice, but if we have it there is only one option. We take Andrew Luck. I don't know if Peyton Manning and Luck can co-exist on the same roster, but that is what Jim Irsay and the front office would try to make happen (providing Manning is healthy).
I don't really have a problem with getting Manning's replacement. My issue comes with the lack of options. I don't like that. Even if the first offer we get is 4 first round picks and a couple proven players, we can't take it. If we have the first pick, it must be Andrew Luck. We can't be the team that passed on Andrew Luck. There is no discussion.
I always prefer more options. If it turns out that we have the 2nd pick in the draft how many more options do we have? The Rams will move the first pick and stick with Sam Bradford. Someone will come up and pay handsomely for the rights to Luck. My guess would be the Browns, but it's just a guess. All these scenarios assume Luck is off the board.
1) We use the pick and get a player that can help this year. We all know there are HUGE holes on this team that Andrew Luck has no chance to fill.
Top of the draft defensive players are studs and can turn around defenses. See Von Miller and Ndamukong Suh. How different could our defense be with a player of this caliber on this team? Morris Claiborne comes to mind. He and Jerraud Powers at CB would be scary.
What about another stud OT like Matt Kalil? Anthony Castonzo and Matt Kalil at T kicks Ben Ijalana inside to guard and strengthens the line even more.
2) We trade back a little bit. Moving out of the second pick for extra picks is a tempting thought.. We could move back a few spots in the first and get an extra second this year. Secondary (Mark Barron?) or interior O-line (David DeCastro?) in the early-middle of the first. Run-stuffing DT (Jarel Worthy?) early second. Which ever (Secondary or OL) was not taken with the top pick with the second 2nd rounder. That fills a great number of holes with a few draft rounds left.
3) We trade back a lot and get some future picks. If we were to move from 2 all the way back to the 20s, we should grab a first rounder next year as well as multiple picks this year. We could still grab a DT with the first pick (Devon Still?). A CB (Chase Minnifield?) early in the second and Interior OL (Peter Konz?) at the end of the second. Plus the fact we have an extra 1st for next year. While it doesn't help as much in the next season, it does keep the future in the front of the mind.
I will admit, if Manning has played his last game as a Colt, I want Luck. If Manning is healthy I want him to win another Super Bowl in Blue. Best chance for him to win another ring is to improve the talent around him. That's why I will be rooting for a Colts victory when the calendar turns to 2012. Plus, I think it's bad karma to tank the first game in 2012. The Football Gods will not smile.
Which option is the best? I don't know. Which is the closest to reality? I have no idea. I do know that's it's not the end of the Colts if they don't have the first pick. It may actually strengthen team more to not have that first pick.