Dear Peyton, Take A Cut

[Hal]

Let me say this first: Peyton is the reason I started watching and fell in love with football. At the same time, I can't stand to think of him playing anywhere else, even if it is for the Jets, in the city that I live. If I'm Peyton, I'm willing to restructure my contract down to 15 mil a year and here's why:

- Irsay and Polian built an entire team around him. Few quarterbacks ever get it and none get it to the degree that Peyton has.

- Indianapolis, I assume as a New Yorker from what I've read, has been great to him and will forever be great to him.

- Peyton has a ton of money and makes a ton of money from endorsements and ads.

- The team is still a contender and Peyton knows it.

- Taking a paycut means the Colts can sign his guys: Jeff, Reggie, Pierre, Mathis.

- Medically, he's still a mystery

I understand money's a big deal but it's not like he's making nothing and to me, and I've always seen Peyton as similar, I'd take less money to play in my city, with my friends, with an owner like Jim Irsay and I can't even begin to imagine how much love he gets from Indy. If Peyton doesn't restructure...I don't want to say I'd lose respect for him as a player, but I might lose some respect for him as a person.

Sit down with Irsay, talk about what they'd do with Peyton's money if he does take the cut, and decide from there.

[runthepost]

he always usually takes a paycut i hope he does and proves that he is the goat

[UndecidedFrog]

Let me say this first: Peyton is the reason I started watching and fell in love with football. At the same time, I can't stand to think of him playing anywhere else, even if it is for the Jets, in the city that I live. If I'm Peyton, I'm willing to restructure my contract down to 15 mil a year and here's why:

- Irsay and Polian built an entire team around him. Few quarterbacks ever get it and none get it to the degree that Peyton has.

- Indianapolis, I assume as a New Yorker from what I've read, has been great to him and will forever be great to him.

- Peyton has a ton of money and makes a ton of money from endorsements and ads.

- The team is still a contender and Peyton knows it.

- Taking a paycut means the Colts can sign his guys: Jeff, Reggie, Pierre, Mathis.

- Medically, he's still a mystery

I understand money's a big deal but it's not like he's making nothing and to me, and I've always seen Peyton as similar, I'd take less money to play in my city, with my friends, with an owner like Jim Irsay and I can't even begin to imagine how much love he gets from Indy. If Peyton doesn't restructure...I don't want to say I'd lose respect for him as a player, but I might lose some respect for him as a person.

Sit down with Irsay, talk about what they'd do with Peyton's money if he does take the cut, and decide from there.

Pssstt....PM is currently at $17MM to the team salary cap for 2012.

If he is cut by the Colts, that cap hit will be $10.4MM for 2012.

Which means the new contract must be less than a 2012 cap hit of $6.6MM, otherwise it would be more "unfriendly" to the cap.

[Jules]

Pssstt....PM is currently at $17MM to the team salary cap for 2012.

If he is cut by the Colts, that cap hit will be $10.4MM for 2012.

Which means the new contract must be less than a 2012 cap hit of $6.6MM, otherwise it would be more "unfriendly" to the cap.

So Peyton would get less then 6.6 M for next year if I understand this correctly?

[ColtJ82]

Do you really think this team is a contender?

[Peyton and Eli fan]

Where did you get $15 million from?

[Jules]

Do you really think this team is a contender?

Careful now.

Many will scold you if you have doubts on the current contending status right now of the Colts.

[ColtJ82]

Careful now.

Many will scold you if you have doubts on the current contending status right now of the Colts.

Lol, I know. I am just saying......there is a lot of room for improvement.

[UndecidedFrog]

So Peyton would get less then 6.6 M for next year if I understand this correctly?

PM must accept a contract that will hit the cap less than $6.6MM in 2012 to be considered more cap friendly than the current contract.

[Jules]

PM must accept a contract that will hit the cap less than $6.6MM in 2012 to be considered more cap friendly than the current contract.

So.....ya think thats gonna happen? Or not?

[BuildtheMonster1285]

Do you really think this team is a contender?

Who would have thought that the Giants were a contender even half way through this season

[UndecidedFrog]

So.....ya think thats gonna happen? Or not?

I don't think that will be likely.

[Jules]

Who would have thought that the Giants were a contender even half way through this season

You just gotta get in, true.

But, call me when we can baffle QBs and offenses like their D does and if Peyton can take a beating like Eli did in SF.

[Jules]

I don't think that will be likely.

So, this is all a waste of time then pretty much.

[UndecidedFrog]

So, this is all a waste of time then pretty much.

Yep. at least at the $15MM a year figure that was in the OP.

[BOTT]

the whole "the team was been built around peyton" ^cowpatties^ has got to stop. yeah, they really built up that offensive line around peyton. hey, lets bring in andy adleman to shore up the o line......

[FlemanX360]

Didn't Peyton already say he's willing to restructure his contract earlier this month? I could've sworn I saw something on the NFL Network.

[Jules]

Yep.

Got it. I mean I kinda knew it but I got it. Guess we wait and see now........

[UndecidedFrog]

Didn't Peyton already say he's willing to restructure his contract earlier this month? I could've sworn I saw something on the NFL Network.

Nope, PM did not say that. A reporter reported that PM would be willing, but PM never said that.

In fact, when asked about it, PM laughed and said that sometimes, reporters are inaccurate.

And water is wet.

[Jules]

Nope, PM did not say that. A reporter reported that PM would be willing, but PM never said that.

In fact, when asked about it, PM laughed and said that sometimes, reporters are inaccurate.

And water is wet.

Wow I must have missed this. Was this in response to the Adam Schefter report?

[Moose Of Woe]

Dear Peyton - go make an already good team over the top and win a SB or two before you retire. Or, at the very least, give yourself a good shot.

Here, you'll just be taking a below average to flat out terrible team and trying to turn coal in to diamonds by even making the playoffs. (Only to come up short of the ultimate goal, since TEAMS win championships.)

We'll build around Luck, and hopefully get back to the big dance in the near future.

You've shouldered the Colts and 75% of Polian's great roster decisions for 10+ seasons - now go join a TEAM than can win at least 6+ games without you. One that has a defense, special teams, run game, and/or O-line worthy of seeing an NFL football field. Really, one or more of the above sounds nice, doesn't it?

[The Peytonator]

Irsay doing all this 'campaigning', for lack of a better word, is really kinda pointless. By straight up cutting him before this deadline, we will save 7 million. That's it. If we cut him, just so he can do a new contract, he will have to take a contract at like 5 mil for the year. So let's say he does that. We're saving a whole 2 mil against the cap. Really sounds kinda pointless to me. It's not like we're gonna be going after Nicks or any other free agent worth pursuing.

All Irsay did is put the ball in Peyton's court, as it were, but there's no basket for him to take the shot. It's a can't win scenario for Peyton, and Irsay keeps his hands clean in the whole scenario.

It's funny too, I seem to recall reading last offseason, when the contract wasn't getting signed, Peyton said he doesn't care about money. He said he wanted to take a lesser contract so we could retain certain players, and Irsay was adamant about making him the highest paid player in history. Funny little world we live in ain't it?

[HGRekks]

Yes, Peyton is a big deal and very revered in this city. He's also invested well in it. His name is on a hospital.

WHO WILL THINK ABOUT THE KIDS!!??(at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent)

[MR. Blueblood]

Irsay doing all this 'campaigning', for lack of a better word, is really kinda pointless. By straight up cutting him before this deadline, we will save 7 million. That's it. If we cut him, just so he can do a new contract, he will have to take a contract at like 5 mil for the year. So let's say he does that. We're saving a whole 2 mil against the cap. Really sounds kinda pointless to me.

$2mil pays for 5 rookies at league minimum ($390,000 each). That will pretty much pay for all of our mid-late rd draft picks plus maybe an undrafted FA or 2. Might not sound like a whole lot but it's better than a kick in the behind.

[UndecidedFrog]

$2mil pays for 5 rookies at league minimum ($390,000 each). That will pretty much pay for all of our mid-late rd draft picks plus maybe an undrafted FA or 2. Might not sound like a whole lot but it's better than a kick in the behind.

Without PM in 2012, we save $6.6MM to the cap

Without PM in 2013, we save $18MM to the cap

Without PM in 2014, we save $19MM to the cap

Without PM in 2015, we save $20MM to the cap

What is Luck/RG3 to the cap? about $5MM a year.

[FireJimCaldwell]

Pssstt....PM is currently at $17MM to the team salary cap for 2012.

If he is cut by the Colts, that cap hit will be $10.4MM for 2012.

Which means the new contract must be less than a 2012 cap hit of $6.6MM, otherwise it would be more "unfriendly" to the cap.

If you want to get technical you can shave another 925k off of that 6.6 due to that being the base salary of a player with Manning's experience. So any 2012 incentive, or roster bonus would have to be less than 5.675 million to be more cap friendly than his current cap hit.

[GoColts00]

Dear Peyton - go make an already good team over the top and win a SB or two before you retire. Or, at the very least, give yourself a good shot.

Here, you'll just be taking a below average to flat out terrible team and trying to turn coal in to diamonds by even making the playoffs. (Only to come up short of the ultimate goal, since TEAMS win championships.)

We'll build around Luck, and hopefully get back to the big dance in the near future.

You've shouldered the Colts and 75% of Polian's great roster decisions for 10+ seasons - now go join a TEAM than can win at least 6+ games without you. One that has a defense, special teams, run game, and/or O-line worthy of seeing an NFL football field. Really, one or more of the above sounds nice, doesn't it?

Well put !

[GoColts00]

Without PM in 2012, we save $6.6MM to the cap

Without PM in 2013, we save $18MM to the cap

Without PM in 2014, we save $19MM to the cap

Without PM in 2015, we save $20MM to the cap

What is Luck/RG3 to the cap? about $5MM a year.

So what this means is that we can build a TEAM to win Super Bowls instead of paying 1 person a gigantic salary! Peyton is worth the money, but a TEAM wins the big show. Great Defense wins Championships.

[UndecidedFrog]

So what this means is that we can build a TEAM to win Super Bowls instead of paying 1 person a gigantic salary! Peyton is worth the money, but a TEAM wins the big show. Great Defense wins Championships.

And we have good evidence of last season's W-L record of how miserable we are when we base our team on 1 person.

[FireJimCaldwell]

So what this means is that we can build a TEAM to win Super Bowls instead of paying 1 person a gigantic salary! Peyton is worth the money, but a TEAM wins the big show. Great Defense wins Championships.

While that can be done, don't be surprised if history doesn't repeat itself in a few years.

[Fx Stryker]

Do you really think this team is a contender?

Statistically based on the time of possession the '11 defense was better than the '10 defense. So if the offense was able to hold the ball more the defense wouldn't have been as bad.

[MR. Blueblood]

Without PM in 2012, we save $6.6MM to the cap

Without PM in 2013, we save $18MM to the cap

Without PM in 2014, we save $19MM to the cap

Without PM in 2015, we save $20MM to the cap

What is Luck/RG3 to the cap? about $5MM a year.

Absolutely going forward there would be a lot more money to go around with Manning's current contract going bye bye. I was just trying to tell The Peytonator that $2mil can make a bigger difference than what he thought. Sure you probably won't get a big name FA with that, but you can at least get some guys in here to plug holes and develop.

[UndecidedFrog]

While that can be done, don't be surprised if history doesn't repeat itself in a few years.

It all depends on what kind of offense we install.

If Luck were to start, there is more likelihood it will not be the Peyton offense, than if Peyton were starting.

[betheafan41]

So Peyton would get less then 6.6 M for next year if I understand this correctly?

yeah and its what i said in another thread, the only way manning could really come back with out hurting the team would be if he was to take a 1 or 2 yr contract ( 1 yr @5 mill, or 2 yr at 10 mil) with incentives basically another million if he makes the pro bowl, another if he gets mvp, another for 4,000 yards an so on. if he wont take that then i can see the colts will cut him and let him go. only other option is to get him to agree to push back the deadline and trade him to a team of his choice and get a player or draft pick in return.

[betheafan41]

Without PM in 2012, we save $6.6MM to the cap

Without PM in 2013, we save $18MM to the cap

Without PM in 2014, we save $19MM to the cap

Without PM in 2015, we save $20MM to the cap

What is Luck/RG3 to the cap? about $5MM a year.

if im not mistaken newton is what 4 yrs and 22 million with a 5th year option that i believe would put it at 32 million'? i maybe wrong on the option dollars, i cant remember off the top of my head, if the colts take luck or even RG3 that would be pretty much the contract they get 5 million a year same as newton. which is better then what mannings will be as his like you showed will increase by close to 12 million from 2012 to 2013. thats to much for a guy who no one is for sure will be able to play in the way he did before all of this happened to him.

[MR. Blueblood]

yeah and its what i said in another thread, the only way manning could really come back with out hurting the team would be if he was to take a 1 or 2 yr contract ( 1 yr @5 mill, or 2 yr at 10 mil) with incentives basically another million if he makes the pro bowl, another if he gets mvp, another for 4,000 yards an so on. if he wont take that then i can see the colts will cut him and let him go. only other option is to get him to agree to push back the deadline and trade him to a team of his choice and get a player or draft pick in return.

By moving the date back we would still be under the current contract if I'm understanding you correctly, which means that Irsay would have to pay the $28mil bonus due before he could then try to trade. It is then my understanding that the cap hit for a trade would be so substantial that it will cripple the ability of this team to sign players for the next couple years. And I seriously doubt Manning would renegotiate the contract and then get traded to a team of his choice, because why wouldn't he just go sign with the team of his choice?

[betheafan41]

It all depends on what kind of offense we install.

If Luck were to start, there is more likelihood it will not be the Peyton offense, than if Peyton were starting.

isnt the new OC more of an West Coast offense type of guy? im not very familiar with this new guy thats why im asking. im basicaly going off of what some steeler fans have said saying hope we enjoy alot of short 5 yard passes and bubble screens.

[18Manning]

The only way this was ever going to make sense is for Peyton to take a REALLY BIG cut in pay. To have even potentially been a compeitive team this year, Peyton would have to take a cut in pay to allow the Colts to re-sign some guys/get some guys.

[Fireman818]

With Peyton Manning your always a contender, you always have a chance. What was defense like the year we won the Super Bowl? Can you say last against the run. Did we win? How was our team 2010, 2011? Sucked again but did we make the playoff's? YES! Out of the 13 season's Manning played, did we ever have a defense? UHHHHH, No!

So lets see here, with Manning and no defense how many consecutive years did we make the playoff's? UHHHHH 11! We didn't make it to the playoff's his rookie year of this past year when he didn't play a snap.

So, if Manning can play and is healthy enough to play how many more years can he play? Maybe 3 to 4. So your saying that if we kept Manning and traded the #1 pick away to say, Cleveland for the #4 and #22 picks in this years draft and an early 2nd rounder this year as well, and a 2013 1st round pick from Cleveland, that we couldnt upgrade this current team and contend? Hello, are you nutts. We could win the freaken division easy. All we need is Blackmon, a couple O-lineman and maybe a RB. Bring Wayne back and you have Wayne, Garcon, Collie and Blackmon. Now thats if Garcon works out a contract that is resonable. Defense is always patchwork every freakin year but whats different now is we have someone who might blitz. Hello! Pats didn't have a dominating defense and they made it.

Yes we are contenders with Manning so yes I believe. He hasn't shown me anything to make me think he couldn't. Duhhhhhhh!

[betheafan41]

By moving the date back we would still be under the current contract if I'm understanding you correctly, which means that Irsay would have to pay the $28mil bonus due before he could then try to trade. It is then my understanding that the cap hit for a trade would be so substantial that it will cripple the ability of this team to sign players for the next couple years. And I seriously doubt Manning would renegotiate the contract and then get traded to a team of his choice, because why wouldn't he just go sign with the team of his choice?

and i stand corrected lol. your absolutely righty so the only best thing to do would release and resign him or release him out right with out trading and taking a big cap hit.