We've all heard the buzz. Andrew Luck is the going to be the next Peyton Manning. He can throw a football a quarter-mile. Mel Kiper probably has a picture of him hanging over his head when he sleeps. It's totally unanimous that he is the best player coming out in next year's draft, and odds are he is going to go first overall. There hasn't really been this much excitement around the league about any player coming out of college since Peyton Manning (we're going to pretend Tim Tebow doesn't exist right now). Hype like this can get people to do some really crazy things, like making Dolphins fans think its totally fine for their team to play this awful. I have to say though, it's a pretty unique thing that being the worst team in the league can pay off huge dividends in the long run.
The simple idea that a bad team might decide to tank an entire season because it puts them in better position to draft a prospect just baffles me. I understand if a team is not in a good position halfway through the season, and not having what it takes to make a playoff run, decides to take the franchise in a new direction. This happens every year, the hot seats really heat up as the depth chart does it's annual shuffle, but it's not every year that all of the cellar-dweller has the same thing in their crosshairs. Luck's group of potential suitors are an interesting couple of teams, each of them bringing their own sad little storylines.
3. St. Louis Rams:
All the fans who had hoped to see some sort of bright spots start to develop this year might have to hold tight for another year. The tools are there: Steven Jackson is an absolute horse, Sam Bradford is a young quarterback that has large amounts of potential and a lot of room to grow, and Steve Spagnuolo is not nearly as bad of a coach as he looks like right now. There is a pretty big possibility that these guys dont produce the way they should in the coming years and St. Louis has to start over (again), but I don't think that it's quite time to abandon ship, not yet at least. It would be an interesting scenario if the Rams finish up the 2011-2012 season with the worst record and are faced with the daunting task of deciding what to do with the 1st overall pick. If I were put in that situation, I would do everything in my power to trade down and get Bradford a weapon, maybe Justin Blackmon. This would not only show Bradford that the team is 100% behind him, but it would also give him a receiver that could create mismatches in favor of the offense for once. The Rams need to keep pushing and develop an identity behind Sam Bradford, and things will turn around soon enough.
2. Indianapolis Colts:
Without Peyton Manning, this team looks lost and has no chance of winning. The Indianapolis front office has already assured head coach Jim Caldwell that his job is not in jeopardy, because its totally irrational to think that the Colts have any chance to compete without the centerpiece of their team. The bigger problem lies ahead of this season, as Manning's health is a concern that puts the teams future in danger. Manning is 35 years old, and serious injuries that come at this time in a players career often spell doom. As much of an iron man as Manning has been throughout his career, this neck injury has to inspire doubt about his level of play in the years to come. If Manning returns to form next year like the Colts are hoping for, then the quarterback position isn't an emergency. However, if this injury has a lasting effect and Peyton comes back as a shell of himself (if he returns at all), then it will be time for the organization to move on. If the second situation is what ends up happening, and the first overall pick falls to the Colts, things will get really interesting. Given the oppurtunity, I would take Luck and if Peyton cannot return to form, he can mentor the NFL-ready rookie from behind the scenes. I think the last thing anybody wants to see (except maybe some sadistic AFC South fans) is Peyton Manning's Hall of Fame career come to a close due to injury, but if that were the case, I could find no better player to take the reigns from him than Andrew Luck.
1. Miami Dolphins:
The Miami Dolphins have been struggling as of late. And by "as of late", I mean since the Dave Wannstedt era. One playoff appearance in ten years is nothing to be proud of. The 'Fins need to turn things around and I think that without a doubt, Andrew Luck can do that for them. There is no quarterback controversy in Miami, it's far less appealing than that. More or less, it's somebody lining up under center like they're keeping the seat warm for whoever comes in next. Theres not a doubt in my mind that if they have the oppurtunity to draft Luck, they will snatch him up like he's a beer in the Boston clubhouse. This franchise needs to wipe the slate clean and start over, because they've gone stale. The only bright spot on offense is Brandon Marshall, but it's pretty difficult to throw the ball downfield without a quarterback . The defense is dreadful, and Tony Sparano already sold his house. It's no longer a debate whether or not fans are hoping they "Suck For Luck", the only question is: Did they already start?
