If Manning can be released, anyone can be released.
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If Manning can be released, anyone can be released.
One can only hope we're releasing Ray Lewis because we have our replacement at MLB.
How dumb would the Colts look this year if Luck had absolutely TANKED. Meanwhile, Manning is pushing the Broncos to a first round bye, possibly even home field advantage!
I don't think they are comparable.
Manning was coming off a career threatening injury that forced him to miss an entire season and had people wondering if he would ever be the same physically. He was still playing at an elite too when he was healthy, but it was fair IMHO for them to move on considering the questions.
I don't want to turn this into a bash Ray post/thread, but he has been in a pretty significant decline for years now and frankly, I don't think his impact if he left...even with the guys we have now would be very big. At this point, he is great for getting other guys in position and is still sharp as a tack mentally, but he is a fish out of water in space now and even is missing tackles now that were easy for him before.
Manning's release was as much about the once-every-decade designation of Luck as it was about the salary cap hit and Maning's injury status. If that year's QB crop looked like 2013's or 2011's, etc, then I think there is a significant chance the Colts would have worked something out with Manning. But after they got the #1 pick in a draft that included Luck, they couldn't pass up taking the QB. There was a greater risk of reputation (for Irsay) in passing on Luck who then turns out to be one of the best ever than there was in taking Luck who thens becomes a bust. The latter, while obviously possible, would not be 'blamed' on Irsay like the former would be, because of the universal opinion of Luck coming out of college.