Indianapolis Colts Rumors: Robert Griffin III Wants to be With Colts, Could the Team Pull Off an Eli Manning-Type Trade?

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

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By Bob Evans
Senior Writer

While the majority of the NFL world has anointed Stanford Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, it seems that Baylor Bears quarterback Robert Griffin III is still holding on to the hope he could be the Indianapolis Colts' future signal-caller.

According to an interview given during Super Bowl week RG3 said, “Hopefully I’ll end up [in Indianapolis] via the draft, but I have no control over that.” He then went on to say, “I’ve met Peyton, and I told him if I get the honor to play with him, I’d love it.”

While RG3 has not stated he would not play for any other team, his desire to be the successor to Peyton Manning’s throne in Indianapolis is an intriguing thought for the Colts to entertain. With his dynamic playmaking abilities, RG3 would be an electrifying draw to play in a dome. His upside would be better than Michael Vick in Atlanta, since RG3 is a more accomplished passer.

For this to happen, the Colts would have to be okay with being the team that traded Luck, the man who most people have anointed the most NFL ready quarterback to come out of college since Manning. However, the scenario is one which could potentially be very lucrative for the Colts.

Back in 2004, the San Diego Chargers held the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. The top quarterback at the time was Peyton’s younger brother, Eli, who had made his desire to play for the New York Giants known before the draft. With the Giants sitting at No. 4, the Chargers agreed to select Eli No. 1 overall, as long as the Giants were able to select North Carolina State quarterback Philip Rivers at No. 4 for them.

With the Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals not in need of a quarterback, the deal worked out just fine for both parties. In return for ending up with the “lesser” of the two quarterbacks (according to scouting reports), the Chargers received the Giants’ third-round pick in 2004, and their first and fifth-round selections in 2005. With those picks the Chargers selected long-time kicker Nate Kaeding (third round) and Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman (first round 2005).

Obviously the deal doesn’t look as good for the Chargers right now, as Eli just collected his second Super Bowl victory with the Giants. However, since the Colts could potentially have Peyton for a few more seasons while RG3 learns from him, they would be able to surround him with the right combination of playmakers and knowledge to put him in a much better position to succeed.

With the organization up in the air about moving on from the man who brought their football team back from the dead, drafting a guy who is willing to sit and learn while acquiring a few more picks may be a more attractive option for owner Jim Irsay.

If the Colts decide to make this move, just like in 2004, there is a team sitting at No. 4 with the assets to make the deal with them.

While the Cleveland Browns are certainly not the only team considering drafting a quarterback in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, they would be the best trading partner for the Colts to ensure they land RG3. The Browns are not sold on current signal-caller Colt McCoy, and landing a true West Coast offense quarterback like Luck may be a dream come true for the team’s brain trust.

The Browns are also owners of additional picks in the first and fourth rounds in 2012 thanks to a draft day trade with Atlanta in 2011. This means they could provide the Colts with a similar or even better deal than the Chargers got from the Giants, if interested, without hurting their own draft strategy.

Obviously teams like the Miami Dolphins or Washington Redskins could attempt to jump the Browns by trading with the St. Louis Rams at No. 2 or Minnesota Vikings at No. 3 and snag RG3, thus rendering the potential deal useless. If this were to happen, the Colts would still end up with their future quarterback in Luck, which isn’t too bad of a consolation prize.

This is all purely speculation at this point, but with the Colts not ruling out selecting RG3 with the No. 1 overall pick, it is still a possibility. If Peyton is ready to play, adding a quarterback willing to wait his turn and a few more playmakers via draft picks could end up being an enticing option for the Colts—and one that may be too good to pass up if the price is right.


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