Despite denials from owner Jim Irsay that a decision on Peyton Manning has been made, the Indianapolis Colts made the decision to part ways with Manning weeks ago, Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network reports.
"According to sources who were involved in the Colts’ GM search, the organization was planning to move on from Manning weeks ago, well before this public squabble between the quarterback and his owner," NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora said Friday on "NFL Total Access".
Thus far this offseason, the Colts have removed team president Bill Polian, who drafted Manning, his son and general manager Chris Polian, as well as head coach Jim Caldwell, who was Manning's longtime position coach. Replacing the Polians and Caldwell are Ryan Grigson as general manager and former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano.
Most of the Colts coaching staff has been replaced and the team reached an agreement with former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians to run their offense. Though Arians was Manning's first quarterbacks coach in the NFL, it's likely that he'll be tutoring the first few years of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck's career.
La Canfora adds that the Colts will make a move with Manning prior to the 2012 Scouting Combine, which begins on February 22.
Manning is due a $28 million option bonus that is payable between two days after the Super Bowl (February 7) and four days before the start of the 2012 league year (March 8). With the Colts possessing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, which will certainly be used on Luck, the Colts are not going to pay Manning $35.4 million in 2012 (option bonus plus base salary) and a projected $15 million-plus in year one income to the quarterback position.
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