The Indianapolis Colts got rid of a lot of talent after they watched their prize possession sign with the Denver Broncos. They have tons more holes now (and they had a butt ton before) and need to fill them.

So, while they re-signed Reggie Wayne this offseason, they still have more receiver slots to fill.

And they attempted to fill those slots with one burner who was formerly a productive player. The Colts have signed Donnie Avery, who used to be with the Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams. Not at the same time of course.

Avery was a second-round draft pick in 2008, and the first WR taken in that draft. Avery is an absolute burner, and if he can stay healthy, he should be a good deep threat for whoever the hell is playing QB for the Colts in 2012.

The Washington Redskins are the latest team to shuffle their wide receiver core. They have signed former Indianapolis Colts receiver Pierre Garcon, although we don’t have contract details right now.

Garcon will instantly become the top target for RGIII (assuming that the Redskins don’t trade the pick). However, Redskins fans better hope that they didn’t overpay for Garcon and give him No. 1 WR money.

Why? Because he’s not. Plain and simple.

He’s a nice receiver who should be a nice addition to their offense, but he’s not going to draw double teams. I’d be concerned about that because they did the same thing with Antwaan Randle-El, even though Garcon is better than him.

Can’t wait to see the details on this one.

UPDATE: Yep, they overpaid. Five years, $42.5 million with $21.5 million guaranteed.

This may come as shocking news to many of you, but former Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning is now a free agent. It’s true. He’s already had meetings with the likes of the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins, but there is another team that is hell bent on signing him.

The Tennessee Titans.

It’s a great fit for everyone involved, unless your name is Jake Locker or Matt Hasselbeck. Peyton played his college ball in Tennessee, so he’ll already have a large following (as if he wouldn’t have a following anywhere on the planet. Well, maybe not Uganda).

And to make it even sweeter, Titans owner Bud Adams wants Peyton…bad.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Adams is “willing to give (free agent Peyton Manning) a blank check to come to Tennessee.” An Arthur Blank check? Would save Adams some money for sure.

But, that’s pretty strong stuff. What about the fact that you just used the No. 8-overall pick on Locker? And a bigger problem is that the coaches and front office don’t seem to want anything to do with this plan. But, will it matter?

Just when you think you know where Peyton will land (Denver was 95% sure they’d land him), this crap happens.

A story that really went under the radar this week, the Indianapolis Colts released QB Peyton Manning this week. He’s actually a free agent now and is free to sign with anyone else. It’s true. Look it up.

But, the Colts aren’t done with their overall. Not only does it look like Reggie Wayne will be allowed to walk in free agency, but they just told S Melvin Bullitt, RB Joseph Addai, TE Dallas Clark, QB Curtis Painter and LB Gary Brackett.

Yikes. Have fun, Andrew Luck!

Cutting all these guys reportedly will save the Colts some $14 million in salary this season, but only $5 million in salary cap. That sucks.

Clark will be 33 this season and was miserable last year. Yes, he was hurt most of the time, but he dropped too much and is pretty much holy hell when it comes to blocking. Painter is garbage. Brackett was a nice LB for a while, but wasn’t worth all the money left on his deal. Plus, the Colts are going to a 3-4 defense, which would explain Brackett and the team’s attempt to shop Dwight Freeney.

As for Addai, I can’t decide what the Colts were more frustrated with: His constant injuries or his absolutely lack of burst.

The Colts were in the Super Bowl in 2009…how far back does that seem now? I hope everyone got a chance to enjoy it and really soak it up because they ain’t going back for a long time.

Wait a minute. I think we got a little ahead of ourselves with that headline. It doesn’t look like Peyton Manning is dead, he was just released by the Indianapolis Colts.

Phew!

So yeah, after passing for more than 54,000 yards, earning four MVP’s, 11 Pro Bowls and one Super Bowl title, the Colts have cut Peyton Manning.

So now what? Now, the speculation starts. It’s rumored that just about every single NFL team wants to sign this guy (Tom Brady is getting old). The Cardinals just gave up a second-round pick and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for Kevin Kolb. Doesn’t matter; they are linked to wanting Peyton. The Seattle Seahawks are rumored to be willing to sign him for any amount of money. The Miami Dolphins think they have the leg up on everyone.

In short, there are a lot of teams that need QB’s (like the Colts!) and anyone would love to have Peyton provided he can still play. And all indications and reports are that his neck and arm strength are improving.

Let the rumors and speculation begin…Peyton is officially a free agent.

I know we’re all getting sick of all the Peyton Manning talk, but it’s really just beginning so we might as well just shut up and like it. Don Banks of Sports Illustrated says that NFL sources tell him that Manning didn’t have three neck surgeries as we’ve all thought.

He’s actually had four.

And while we don’t know exactly when they occur, Banks says it was between March and September of last year. Sounds like his neck problems run deeper than we’d thought as this surgery went unreported.

Sources also tell Banks that Peyton has potentially developed bone spurs just above where he had September neck fusion surgery. I hope these are doctors that operated on him, because that’s quite a raft of speculation. Banks is told that the Colts organization believes that, even if he does play in 2012, he’ll need another surgery.

How many surgeries can this guy take on such an important and sensitive part of the body before it’s time to just call it quits.

There has been a lot of talk – maybe too much talk – about Indianapolis Colts (soon to be former) QB Peyton Manning and his ability to play football. On one hand, they say he’s medically cleared to play, on the other, people who have watched him work out say that it’s just not there yet.

Appearing on the B.S. Report with Bill Simmons, NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi is saying the latter. Based on the people he’s talked to that have caught balls from him lately, Peyton’s velocity is down and he can’t throw to his left (ask Rick Mirer is that’s going to be a problem).

Photo Caption: And Warren Moon says he’s still giving people the “limp wrist” hand shake.

“I’ve talked to people who’ve caught the ball for him,” Lombardi said on the show. “He can’t throw the ball to his left. He can’t throw the ball across his body, because he doesn’t feel it. People that catch the ball for him say he doesn’t really have velocity on the ball yet.”

Now, the question becomes, will he ever get that back? Nerve regeneration in the neck ain’t a sure thing and if he can’t get these abilities back then he is toast.

The timing of this report is a bit curious. Just a couple days ago, there was a report from sources who would know about Peyton Manning’s neck condition that said he’d probably never play again.

Now, Chris Mortensen is reporting that Manning has been medically cleared to resume his NFL career. Of course, it’s Mort, so take this with a grain of salt.

“Peyton Manning medically cleared to resume NFL career, per sources. More coming on ESPN now. #NFL32,” Mort tweets.

Doctors said that “if the nerves in his arm had regenerated to a satisfactory performance level.” So basically, he’s safe to play, if he can play. It’s only a medical issue in the sense that he might not have the arm strength to be a stud anymore.

Time will tell, but let the “where will Peyton play” sweepstakes bonanza circus begin.

There has been a lot of talk lately – maybe too much talk – about Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning. He’s gone back and forth in the media with owner Jim Irsay, he’s due a $28 million bonus in March and there has been a ton of speculation about who could sign him if/when the Colts eventually cut him.

But, in the end will any of it really matter? All signs point to Peyton being toast due to his three-time surgically repaired neck.

Two sources with knowledge of Peyton’s neck condition tell Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports that the nerve cells are not healing as hoped and not progressing at a rate that would allow him to play again. They say he began throwing in December, but that his velocity isn’t coming back and they don’t think it ever will.

Photo Caption: “Of course you can’t read it, there’s nothing written on it. So you don’t have a concussion, get back in the game.”

Yeah, that’s not good. OTR’s father-in-law is a doctor and he keeps telling us, “necks are a tricky thing” while shaking his head. So all this talk about where he’ll end up next season is probably a waste of time. Maybe the Colts should just make him their QB’s coach and have him develop Andrew Luck.

We already know about the issues the New York Jets are having with Mark Sanchez and their possible desire to go after Peyton Manning. But, we couldn’t possibly think that they would be the only team interested in one of the best QB’s in NFL history should be become available.

And ESPN‘s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen are reporting that you can add the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins to that list. The Dolphins are hardly surprising given that no amount of second-round picks or free-agency signings have filled the QB void since Dan Marino left. And no, Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler don’t count.

But the Cardinals? The Cardinals just gave up a second-round pick and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Philadelphia Eagles for Kevin Kolb. And then they gave him a big contract. So…you are admitting that you made a major screw up and Kolb isn’t remotely who you thought he was?

On one hand, that’s a big mistake to admit that quickly. On the other hand, I give them credit for moving on before the error is compounded by more losing.

We mentioned previously that actor Rob Lowe was tweeting about Peyton Manning’s retirement. He said that he could be wrong, but that his people tell him that Manning will retire today from the Indianapolis Colts and NFL as a whole.

Well, Jason La Canfora of NFL Network got a hold of Manning’s agent Tom Condon, who was unaware of any plans that Peyton may have had to retire today.

He told La Canfora that these reports were “news to me.” He also told him that all of this was “the first he’d heard of it.”

Photo Caption: “Hey Curtis, shut it for two seconds. I’ve got Rob Lowe on the line and he watches a lot of CNN.”

That’s not to say that an agent would put out false information. Hell, they do it all the time. But, it’s another side of the story and, if Condon is to be believed, you’d think that Peyton would have discussed this with him at some point. That $28 million roster bonus doesn’t all belong to Peyton, you know.

Stay tuned.

There has been a lot of talk (maybe too much talk) about the future of Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning. With an injured neck that just can’t seem to get right, many have speculated that he will just retire.

And now, we get word from someone who says that Manning will retire today. Everyone’s favorite boss on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” Rob Lowe, tweets that he’s hearing that Manning will hang them up. Here are his tweets:

Hearing my fave, #18 Peyton Manning will not return to #NFL. Wow. #Colts

@richeisen My people are saying Manning will retire today. What do you hear? #NFL

#Colts fans, let’s hope my info is wrong. Don’t like being wrong, but this time… I’m hoping #NFL #Manning

As of this posting, Manning has not yet made any announcement and Lowe is hardly known for breaking sports stories. But, hey, he’s a high-profile Colts fan who probably knows several people in the organization. And, his sitcom is based in Indiana, so there is that sitting right out there too.

Not sure that this is a shock really. There was a good portion of the season spent wondering whether or not the Indianapolis Colts would be joining the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only two teams to lose all 16 games.

But, without Peyton Manning, was head coach Jim Caldwell really culpable? The Colts think so, as they have shown him the door and fired him not long after the Polians got the boot.

In short, the Colts are rebuilding. And that might just be yet another reason for Peyton to play elsewhere next season (if he’s able to play at all). All new coaches, front office execs, new systems….nah, Peyton can’t be bothered with that crap.

And he likely won’t have to. It’s widely expected that the Colts will take Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the first-overall pick in next April’s draft.

The Peyton Manning era is likely over in Indy.

The Indianapolis Colts knew they were screwed when Peyton Manning continued to have issues with his neck. They just really didn’t know how screwed. If they did, then the Polians would still have their jobs.

So, Peyton was out all year and one of the early-season attempts at a band-aid was bringing in gray beard Kerry Collins. Collins didn’t work out, largely due to the fact that his best years are behind him and the Colts thoroughly stink with Manning.

When they shelved him on IR months ago, they said he continued to experience “concussion-like symptoms.”

But, Phillip B. Wilson of the Indianapolis Star, which is a newspaper filled with articles and news, calls BS on the concussion stuff. He writes:

But the part I truly hated was the exit strategy. Nobody will ever convince me Collins suffered from “concussion-like symptoms.” That, I’m told from someone who spoke to Collins directly, was not true. I was also told Collins approached the team about letting him retire and go back to Nashville, Tenn. It’s my understanding Collins gave the team a break on that $4 million deal, a retiree rebate, if you will. I’m guessing nobody will ever come out and tell the truth about this, but I trust my source enough to mention it here. And so we move on.

Hmmmm…that would make sense. In the midst of a terrible season where Collins is just getting knocked around, I could see him throwing in the towel. He doesn’t need the money (I have no clue if that’s true) and he’s too old to be taking a beating for an awful team.

There is more than a lot of smoke coming out of the Peyton Manning camp regarding the Indianapolis Colts’ decision to draft (or not draft) Stanford QB Andrew Luck. His dad Archie decided to pipe up recently and say stupid stuff about Peyton and Andrew not wanting to be on the same team, or that they wouldn’t be comfortable being on the same team.

When Peyton went on CBS with James Brown last Sunday, he didn’t sound all rosy at the idea of the Colts taking Luck with the first-overall pick next April.

“Questions will answer themselves in the spring,” Peyton said through an interpreter. “I haven’t had the chance to think about 2012. In December of 2011, we’re trying to get a win.”

Photo Caption: “With the first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select, Andrew Luck, quarterback, Stanford.”

In other words: “No, I don’t him anywhere near this team. And I’m a Manning, so I’ll bitch until I get what I want.”

And now, ESPN‘s Adam Schefter is saying that the feeling around the NFL is that if the Colts do take Luck, that Peyton will force a trade out of town (if he can still play).

“But inevitably Manning is going to have to let his feelings be known for the Colts, and the sense around the league is there will not be room for both quarterbacks, Manning and Luck, in Indianapolis,” Schefter writes.

If Manning can play again, we’re guessing this would be one of the bigger trades in recent NFL history. And it could be the biggest bust of a deal that sets the franchise that receives Manning back several years. We expect the Dolphins to do it because that’s what they do.

Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning probably won’t play again this year. At least we don’t think he will. Why would he? He’s got nerve problems in his neck and he’d just be rejoining a team that probably would have one or two wins at most. And that’s being generous.

Well, long-time Colts beat writer Phillip B. Wilson thinks the problem could be worse than that. He writes that he thinks there is a good chance that Manning never plays again.

“I’ve [sic] also officially leaning beyond 50-50 on him ever playing in Indy again, if anywhere,” he writes. “Let’s say I’m 40-60 against it being possible. Maybe even 30-70. And if Manning doesn’t talk to us on Dec. 1 and say he’s throwing and getting it all back, if he says there’s still problems with the nerve regenerating and he has fatigue in his arm from a third neck surgery in 19 months, the number plummets to about zilch.”

As OTR‘s father in-law doctor tells us all the time, “necks are a tricky thing.” And the fact that Manning continued to have these surgeries says that something is really wrong there. And only Peyton himself knows if he’s feeling any closer to playing.

We just don’t see the need to risk it. You have your passing records and a Super Bowl and plenty of money. Call it a day and go coach a high school team.

We understand that ESPN’s Adam Schefter is not just throwing out fake NFL trade rumors. On Thursday, he suggested some trades that would make sense for certain teams. We thought he made it clear that he didn’t say these would happen, but just that he thought they made sense.

But, here’s the problem. Most people don’t take that into consideration. So, when he suggests that the Indianapolis Colts move Reggie Wayne and Robert Mathis, people take that as “the Colts are thinking about moving Wayne and/or Mathis.” Could they be? Sure. But, we have no clue and Schefter isn’t reporting that they are. He’s just throwing stuff out there.

I’ve been getting text messages asking me if there is any truth to the rumors Eagles getting D.J. Williams and Brian Dawkins from the Denver Broncos. I hadn’t heard that, so I Googled it. Sure enough? Adam Schefter threw it out there as something he thinks would make sense. There are no D.J. Williams to the Eagles rumors. Could it happen? Anything is possible, especially with the Eagles.

But these aren’t legitimate rumors that come from team sources. So, while Schefter isn’t necessarily doing anything wrong in suggesting trades that make sense, he needs to understand that in the internet age, these things become a game of telephone and take on a life of their own.

So, please, Adam. Stop suggesting trades. It just gets blown out of proportion and by the time the fifth person hears about it, all of a sudden the Colts are trying to move Reggie Wayne.

We learned today that Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning (heard of him?) had cervical fusion surgery on his injured neck Thursday morning. We’ve been hearing that he would need another surgery, but some reporters denied that it was imminent.

Well, it was.

Now, the question becomes how serious of a surgery this was. Sure, cervical fusion sounds like fun, but is it?

Photo Caption: The Colts’ playoffs hopes captured in a single photograph.

Phillip B. Wilson of the Indianapolis Star thinks that, based on the doctor he spoke to, Manning is done for the season.

“For what it’s worth, #Colts fans, doc I spoke to does not think QB Peyton Manning will return this year,” Wilson tweets.

The Colts have known for some time that this was a big deal. Manning is expected to miss 2-3 months at a bare minimum. They signed Kerry Collins, who will now be “manning” the team for the foreseeable future. This absolutely kills the Colts’ chances of winning five games this season.

No word on injured reserve yet, but one would have to think that decision will be made in the coming weeks.

Most NFL teams are pretty secretive with their injury report and don’t give out any more information than they are required to by the league. The official injury status report usually comes out Wednesday, so that’s when we thought we’d get Peyton Manning’s official status from the Indianapolis Colts.

But no, the Colts have decided that they want the world to know that Peyton is indeed doubtful for Sunday’s Week 1 game against the Houston Texans.

“During the last week, the rate of improvement in Peyton’s rehabilitation process slowed,” the Colts said in a statement. “Over the weekend Peyton experienced soreness in his back. It was originally thought to be a normal reaction to his rehabilitation regimen. When the soreness persisted, the Colts medical team decided to initiate diagnostic tests and to consult with a number of specialists around the country who have been involved in Peyton’s case from the outset. That process continues.

“As a result of the most recent development the doctors have decided that Peyton will not practice. His participation therefore, in Sunday’s game versus Houston will likely be doubtful. We will update his playing status as required by NFL policy as the week goes on.”

The team describes the situation as “a complicated neurological recovery, the end date of which is unpredictable,” and they say they’ll provide “concrete medical facts” when they have them.

So yeah, consider Peyton out for Sunday. With all the reports surfacing in the last day, it doesn’t sound like he has a chance in hell of being on that field. Now, the real question becomes when and whether he’ll be able to play at all.

When word first broke that former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was hired by the Indianapolis Colts as a game day assistant, there was a bit of outrage from fans and media. Here the NFL had just suspended Terrelle Pryor for five weeks due to NCAA violations that yielded the same discipline at the college level.

Tressel had to leave Ohio State because of his own violations, so why shouldn’t the NFL treat him similarly? It turns out, the Colts hired him without league approval and have since had conversations both internally and with the NFL to see what the best course of action was.

And they’ve decided that Tressel can sit until Week 7.

“After the announcement of Coach Jim Tressel’s agreement to join the Colts as a game day consultant, questions were raised with respect to the equity of his appointment as opposed to suspensions being served this season by present and former Ohio State players,” Colts Vice Chairman Bill Polian said in a statement.

“Over the weekend Coach Tressel, Mr. Irsay, Coach Caldwell and I had a discussion of the issue,” Polian continued. “In addition, we had a conversation with league officials to apprise them of the details of Coach Tressel’s employment and the issues we were reviewing.”

So, you admit that you didn’t tell the NFL that you hired him? Is that bad? Does that happen a lot? We really aren’t sure what the rule is on that.

“At Coach Tressel’s suggestion, and with Mr. Irsay’s concurrence and support, we have decided to begin Coach Tressel’s employment effective with our seventh regular season game,” Polian said. “We have informed the league office of our decision and expect that they will be supportive of it.”

Really? It was Tressel’s idea? If it was, we have to give him some credit (that’s if we really believe it was his idea and we kind of doubt it) for being the bigger guy and volunteering to take the bullet.

But, regardless of whose idea it was, it was the right thing to do. These NCAA coaches are traditionally allowed to do whatever they want and when they get caught, they just go somewhere else without any repercussions. Meanwhile, the kid and the school are usually vilified. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of that trend.

For those of you who drafted Houston Texans RB Arian Foster the People (FTP) high in the first round and are worried that he won’t be running in his pumped up kicks for the first week or so, we have some sort of good news. While none of this is definitive, it is good to hear a high-quality source close to the team who thinks he’ll be okay.

Specifically, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle thinks that FTP will play Week 1 despite his balky hamstring.

McClain, unlike FTP, is fine admitting that most of the concern is regarding fantasy football. And he says, go ahead and draft him without concern.

“[H]e’ll be ready for the Colts,” McClain writes. “No one knows for sure about it being an issue this season, but fantasy football owners should take him and not look back.”

Again, no one knows for sure, but there isn’t a more trusted name in Houston Texans information out there.

SIDE NOTE: Memo to Chris Berman. This is how it’s done with nicknames. I took a current, relevant band and tied it to an NFL player. None of this James Mungro Jerry crap that most of your audience isn’t familiar with. Keep it up to date somewhat.

We’ve been mentioning Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning quite a bit on OTR lately. First we mentioned a report that he would need an additional procedure on his neck, then we passed along Mort’s report that that wasn’t true.

Now, CBS’ Mike Freeman says that the Colts are prepared to be without Peyton for 4-5 weeks. That’s not saying that he will be out that long, he’s just saying that it’s a possibility…and it could be even more.

“I can tell you the coaches are preparing for a longer period of life without Manning,” writes Freeman. “They are hoping for the best but now fearing the worst.”

We don’t know exactly what “the worst” is, but it doesn’t sound good. In a very tough AFC, we can’t see the Colts making the playoffs if Manning is out for 4-5 weeks. We could be wrong, who knows? In fantasy football, we can’t see touching this guy before the 5th or 6th round.

We mentioned earlier that there was an ESPN 1070 report out there that Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning would need another procedure on his troublesome neck. Colts President Bill Polian said that he was not aware of such a procedure, but didn’t flat-out deny it.

Now, there is a report from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, who says that at this time, Manning doesn’t need another surgery on his neck.

“Filed to ESPN from @mortreport: Peyton Manning is being revaluated [sic] by several doctors bc of slow progress. No other procedure planned now,” tweets his colleague Adam Schefter.

Keep in mind that Mortensen is wrong quite a bit. That’s not to say that he’s wrong here. We have no idea what to believe, other than Peyton isn’t 100% healthy. Even his mention of slow recovery means that it’s reasonable to assume that he won’t be ready for the start of the season.

But, how long will Peyton be out? The fact that the team signed Kerry Collins would indicate to us that they don’t think he’ll be ready soon.

We’ll keep following the reports, but who the hell knows right now?

So you just were all excited that Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning fell to the fourth round of your fantasy draft. Hooray! What a steal!

Ummm…maybe not.

According to John Michael Vincent of ESPN 1070, Manning needs another neck procedure according to multiple sources and will be out indefinitely.

“I’m not trying to be a newsbreaker,” Vincent said. “Never cared for that. I thought you would like to know. Seems to be solid. If I’m wrong U can torch me.”

Well, the Colts have responded, but not in the “that is flat-out false” manner in which you’d think.

“I don’t know anything about that. I honestly don’t,” President Bill Polian told Peter King.

So, draft another QB as of now. Remember Peyton took some time early in the year following his bursa sac injury a few seasons ago to hit his stride and get right again.

This would be devastating for Colts fans. No Peyton means no winning anything. And as far as fantasy football, not having Peyton hurts every single player on that offense.

There was a report in the Chicago Sun Times recently that cited a source who said that the annual Hall of Fame game was going to be canceled. While no one would really care if it was, the NFL says that isn’t the case.

“For those asking about report of cancelled Hall of Fame Game, the NFL, via @gregaiello, says the report is not true. Game hasn’t been nixed,” tweets Jason La Canfora.

Photo Caption: Peyton Manning scans the field for E.G. Green.

So for those of you who can’t wait to see a half-assed first quarter of football followed by backups trying to give each other concussions so they can make a roster spot, you’re in luck.

During the lockout, NFL players aren’t subject to the rules of the Personal Conduct Policy. As such, there are probably a ton of them smoking pot. However, not all have such thin holds on roster spots like the Indianapolis Colts’ Javarris James.

Therefore, it’s a bad idea for him to be putting himself at risk of arrest. And that’s exactly what happened as he was arrested in Fort Myers, FL Thursday on misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession.

It’s really not too big of a deal, but don’t tell that to his high school coach.

“I am extremely disappointed,” John Weber, Javarris James’ coach at Immokalee High, told The Naples Daily News. “I would have never expected this to happen but I guess a lot of things happen.”

Never expected this to happen? It’s not like he raped a fourth grader. It’s a little weed. Was it stupid considering he’s not exactly a standout player? Yes. Is it the end of the world? We’ll wait to see if the sun comes up tomorrow before we answer that.

This was a surprising move (to us at least). The Indianapolis Colts have cut stud safety Bob Sanders. And when we say “stud,” we mean “when he’s on the field.”

Sanders is one of the biggest difference makers in the NFL. When he’s healthy, he completely changes the Colts’ defense. When he’s hurt (which is almost always), the defense has absolutely no teeth. He was a big reason they won the Super Bowl in 2006, and he was named Defensive Player of the Year following the 2007 season.

The problem is that he got a huge contract after that award-winning season and has played in just nine regular season games in the past three years. The numbers just don’t add up.

Sanders has to know that he’s going to have to take a huge pay cut in his next gig. Will the Colts bring him back at a reduced price? It’s entirely possible. But this statement from Jim Irsay makes it sound like he’s gone.

“We have released Bob Sanders today,” Irsay said in a statement. “We thank Bob for all his incredible contributions, from his Super Bowl interception to his Defensive Player-of-the-Year honor.”

Sanders’ comment on his release makes it sound like a goodbye to the Colts as well.

“I want to thank Mr. (Jim) Irsay for the opportunity to play with the Colts,” Sanders said. “I appreciate all he and the organization did for me throughout my career, and I always will consider myself a Colt. I want to thank the fans also for their great support. They played a big part in making my seven years with the team very rewarding.”

It’s a shame this had to happen because he’s so damn good. However, it’s like they say, “you can’t make the club in the tub.”

This isn’t terribly unexpected since long-term deals are incredibly difficult to negotiate when there is no CBA on the horizon. According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, the Indianapolis Colts have slapped the franchise tag on quarterback Peyton Manning.

“Filed to ESPN: Colts put franchise tag on Peyton Manning,” he tweets.

The Colts still plan to make Peyton the highest paid player ever, but it just ain’t happening right now. This is the second time the Colts have done this to Manning. In 2004, they slapped him with the tag before negotiating a seven-year, $98 million contract.

Manning will make 120% of his 2010 salary, which will have him at about $23 million for 2011.

Here’s a thought for Peyton: Take less money so the team can put better players around you. The Colts in this decade with Manning, Harrison, Edgerrin, Wayne, Freeney, etc. put so much money into their elite players that their depth suffers. And you can see that when the injuries pile up (except for WR really. Somehow they still get by with those guys), especially on defense, the team goes south. So, if Peyton cares about winning, he won’t push for the biggest contract in history.

The Dallas Cowboys were able to fight off the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday and hang on for a 38-35 win in overtime. But, it came with a price. Their up-and-coming stud WR Dez Bryant went down with a cracked ankle and will miss the rest of the year.

According to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com, he’ll have surgery on Monday. And just to reinforce what I just said, I’m going to copy and paste the exact tweet where he says so.

Photo Caption: Bryant tackles Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne just before the goal line.

“Filed 2 ESPNDallas – Dez Bryant to have surgery Monday on fractured right ankle,” Archer tweets, just like I said he did.

Bryant should be able to make a full recovery for next season. He’s probably better off that he was a break and not a shredding of tendons. Breaks heal a lot better.

As for his fantasy outlook for the rest of 2010, his production could suffer while the injury heals.

Baltimore Ravens LB Terrell Suggs had a conference call with Pittsburgh reports recently and he had some great quotes. We want to hang out with this guy. T-Sizzle said that the NFL favors the likes of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, while not caring too much about anyone else.

“The league has their favorites,” Suggs said. “One being in Indy and one being with that other team up north. Besides those two, everybody is fair game. Some quarterbacks are getting the calls right away. Some quarterbacks they don’t care.

“Like I always said, Carson Palmer got hit in his knee in 2005 but there was no rule made. Then Tom Brady got hit in his knee and all of a sudden there is a rule and possible suspensions, excessive fines — it’s just getting ridiculous.”

Not exactly true. They did change a rule so you couldn’t hit a QB at or below the knee.

He was then asked about Ed Reed. “When you’ve got a guy like that, he’s like American Express,” Suggs replied. “He’s everywhere you want to be.”

When asked about his improved play this year, he said “I quit doing cocaine.”

Then there was this gem. Perhaps our favorite of all of them. He was asked about the fight between Andre Johnson and Cortland Finnegan. “Maybe [if] I throw some punches at a quarterback with a bad hairdo, I’d get thrown out of the league,” he said.

T-Sizzle is great.