Please, Stop projecting Manning to be a 1st rd FF pick....

[iloveny18]

next year. I'll tell you right now, those who will pick him are going to be very dissapointed. here's why. unless the colts somehow keep edge and marvin together (which i highly doubt) they will lose one or the other. it's already obvious that manning's #s will drop if they lose marvin. but remember when edge was hurt, mannings INTs went up. they will most likely not resign edge. they will lose the running game and since edge is one of the best RBs in the game, defenses won't have to respect the running game as much. that play-action pass that manning works to perfection so much will not be as effective.

any thoughts? i'm not saying manning will have a horrible season, just that he won't have a season like he's having this year and IMO he's not worth a 1st rounder

[Mercer Boy]

I really hope everyone heeds this advice.

This is an anomalous year that happens every so often with QB's. Marino had one, Favre had one, Warner had one, and now Manning and Culpepper are having one. The teams they are facing are so weak on pass defense that it's sickening. That will not happen next year when the new schedules come out. Unless both teams play the AFC West, they will at least have a few games where they won't be able to do anything. You also have to expect teams inside their division to play better next year.

As was stated earlier, if the Edge/Manning/Harrison combo gets broken up, they may also have problems. Those guys create some matchup problems on teams and command tons of respect. Some of the people that are open this year might not be next year.

I said it in a discussion on a Cafe article this year, but I'll say it here as well...the highest I would take any QB would be mid 2nd round or possibly early 2nd if the crop of #2 RB's is as shady as it was this year. They might have value there, but I'd still like to hold off on Manning or Culpepper until the late 2nd round. Sadly, it won't happen next year because of what they are doing. Take your stud RB and watch the others fall when they don't do this again.

[k68]

Manning went in the first round THIS year in my 10 team money league, we all laughed at him draft night, I don't need to tell you who's laughing now. He will go first round next year, although it won't be me, and next time - I'm not laughing.

[BrutallyHuge]

they will lose the running game and since edge is one of the best RBs in the game, defenses won't have to respect the running game as much. that play-action pass that manning works to perfection so much will not be as effective.

It's not like once they lose Edge (if they do), they won't be allowed to have an RB on their team. Travis Henry looks like a great option for Indy.

[Cornbread Maxwell]

A bit early to start projecting this fellas - although I agree with your analysis based on your guesses of what might happen.

Regardless - I would still take that stud RB in the first rd instead of a Manning or CPepp - as was noted, this yr is an anomaly.

[iloveny18]

they will lose the running game and since edge is one of the best RBs in the game, defenses won't have to respect the running game as much. that play-action pass that manning works to perfection so much will not be as effective.

It's not like once they lose Edge (if they do), they won't be allowed to have an RB on their team. Travis Henry looks like a great option for Indy.

there will be alot of competition for henry this offseason. they'll probably draft a RB in the 2nd or 3rd round. they really don't need to spend $ on a good one

[BrutallyHuge]

they will lose the running game and since edge is one of the best RBs in the game, defenses won't have to respect the running game as much. that play-action pass that manning works to perfection so much will not be as effective.

It's not like once they lose Edge (if they do), they won't be allowed to have an RB on their team. Travis Henry looks like a great option for Indy.

there will be alot of competition for henry this offseason. they'll probably draft a RB in the 2nd or 3rd round. they really don't need to spend $ on a good one

Henry signed a 1 year contract extension last year. His rookie deal was 4 years, $2.29 million. He got a 1 year extension that costs $1.3 million.

Production like Henry never comes that cheap. Indy would trade a draft pick for a proven cap-friendly stud.

Edit: He will probably be a rent-a-stud though. Henry should make serious loot in free agency because of his youth.

[SwiperNoSwiping]

With his numbers this year, he likely will be taken earlier than he was this year. I could see him going in the first rd, especially in 10+ team leagues.

I agree that the schedule seems to be very favorable this year. He is playing phenomenal football and is the centerpiece of the highest powered offense in the league at this point. I would think arguments could be made for taking him higher than 2nd tier RBs easily.

[The Lung]

I agree that these are the kind of things to discuss in the off-season. There's also a heck of a lot of football left this year and things could change.

But for the sake of argument, IF Indy's lineup remains virtually unchanged next year, or a quality running back to replace Edgerrin James is found, I still maintain that it would not be foolish to take Peyton Manning next year with a late first round or early second round pick!

The dropoff in the quality of running backs at that point in the draft, and the disparity between Peyton Manning and virtually every other quarterback in the league (McNabb, Culpepper excluded) is so great that it's just not a bad choice.

Manning has thrown a minimum of two touchdown passes in every game this year. Some great quarterbacks in the league struggle to throw one touchdown some weeks. Manning has been incredibly consistent, and even if Indy faces the top 13 defenses in the league next year, there's no reason to believe his success won't continue.

[JrcWy]

they will lose the running game and since edge is one of the best RBs in the game, defenses won't have to respect the running game as much. that play-action pass that manning works to perfection so much will not be as effective.

It's not like once they lose Edge (if they do), they won't be allowed to have an RB on their team. Travis Henry looks like a great option for Indy.

there will be alot of competition for henry this offseason. they'll probably draft a RB in the 2nd or 3rd round. they really don't need to spend $ on a good one

Henry is a good pickup for a team but I doubt there will be a fight for him. You could say there is a plethera of RBs hitting the market this offseason(I watched the 3 amigos last week). Look at these names though:

S. Alexander
E. James
R. Williams
T. Henry
A. Thomas
R. Johnson
L. Jordan
J. Jackson

Henry and Ricky are the only guys locked into a contract on that list and henry is probably the fourth best option of all of them. Add that to what looks like a good RB draft class, and Henry and Ricky's value may only be a late round pick at best. We could see both of them stay on their own teams just because RBs won't have great trade value this offseason.