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Don’t worry, Colts fans.  Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay apparently have no hard feelings towards each other, according to their joint statement today:

Since 1998, we have enjoyed a great relationship, based upon mutual respect and trust .We have always been able to talk and address matters we’ve faced over the years, not just as owner and player, but as friends. We had a long talk today and we want to assure Colts fans everywhere that we are both committed to maintaining our close relationship and to working together through any challenges the future may bring.

If that doesn’t sound like a dreaded “vote of confidence” or even the announcement of an amicable divorce, I don’t know what does.     Sure feels like Manning’s Indy career has been issued last rites, to me.

Juan Epstein could see that all roads eventually lead to Indianapolis and the Colts.

• “Welcome Back Kotter” was set in Brooklyn.
• The Dodgers made their fame and fortune in Brooklyn.
• Mark Belanger played for the Los Angeles Dodgers the last year of his Major League Baseball career, 1982.
• Belanger made HIS name and fortune playing with the Baltimore Orioles for 17 years prior to his LA trek.
• Baltimore was home to the Colts until 1984.
• In March of 1984, Colts owner Jim Irsay packed up the Mayflower vans and followed the Dodgers west, young man.  Rumor has it that the trucks broke down just outside of Richmond, and Indy was as far as Irsay could push them.

The NFL championship picture is nearly in focus now, and April’s draft is starting to shape up, too.  Here is how I see the picks playing out, as of January 27.    Also, check out DC Pro Sports Report Mock Draft Database, the web’s biggest and best compendium of mock drafts.

1. Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck
QB, Stanford

Yeah, the Colts have a new coach, but I don’t see any reason why the hiring of Chuck Pagano would change their draft intentions, at least at the top.  By May, the Horseshoes should be feeling full of Luck.

2. St. Louis Rams
Matt Kalil
OT, USC

3. Minnesota Vikings
Justin Blackmon
WR, Oklahoma State

4. Cleveland Browns
Robert Griffin III
QB, Baylor

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Morris Claiborne
CB, LSU

6. Washington Redskins
Dre Kirkpatrick
CB, Alabama

7. Jacksonville Jaguars
Quinton Coples
DE, North Carolina

8. Carolina Panthers
Devon Still
DT, Penn State

9. Miami Dolphins
Riley Reiff
OT, Iowa

10. Buffalo Bills
Courtney Upshaw
OLB, Alabama

See the rest of my draft after the jump …

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For the third consecutive week, the Colts organization announced breaking news: the hiring of a new head coach. The chosen one is Chuck Pagano, the former defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Raves, who just missed the Super Bowl after losing the AFC Championship last week to the New England Patriots. In this edition of #HorseBytes, I’ll relay the series of events leading up to the hire, as well as the reactions to the hiring, via the tweets of #ColtsNation.

The week began with a surprising announcement from DE Robert Mathis. Two weeks ago, Mathis, originally voted a first alternate to this year’s Pro Bowl in Honolulu, was named a starter for the fourth year in a row after New England’s Andre Carter was placed on IR. But Mathis has decided to bypass the all-star event. His reasoning? His fiancé has given birth to twin boys, and he’s elected to stay home with his new family. I applaud the decision, but others were not so accepting. Mathis took to Twitter to respond to the negative reactions.
Mathis is going to be a great father.

On Tuesday, Bob Kravitz, columnist for the Indy Star, released a revealing interview with Peyton Manning. During their discussion, Peyton talked at length about several issues, including the deterioration of the Colts coaching staff, Rob Lowe’s announcement of his “retirement,” and who ultimately will decide his future as a Colt: owner Jim Irsay.  Peyton even went as far as to call the Indianapolis training facility “not a good place for healing” and say he “may be behind” all the fired staff departing Indianapolis (a horrifying thought). Kravitz tweeted some additional comments regarding No.18 and the interview after its publication.

Meanwhile, the Colts continued to interview candidates for their head coaching vacancy. The original list included Saints OC Pete Carmichael, 49ers special teams coach Brad Seely, and former Vikings HC Brad Childress. That list began to grow, however, to include Jim Tressel, the Colts’ game-day consultant and former head coach at Ohio State, and Ravens defensive coordinatorChuck Pagano. Upon hearing the news of Pagano’s candidacy, Robert Mathis got excited.

Read the rest of the week’s Tweets after the jump …

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Nicks could be searching for a new home

The Colts offensive line is inexperienced and old at the same time.  With the potential retirement of Jeff Saturday, there would be a giant hole in the offensive line. Here’s why we could and should bring in New Orleans Saints offensive guard Carl Nicks.

In New Orleans, the Saints are faced with plenty of players becoming free agents this offseason including the young stud Nicks. Some lucky team will probably get the opportunity to capitalize on the big contract Drew Brees should receive from the Saints and be able to sneak Nicks away from the Big Easy. Another player that could leave New Orleans through free agency is wide receiver Marques Colston. I think the Saints would be more able to afford Brees and Colston than they would be able to afford Brees and Nicks. Either way, Brees is going to get a huge contract from the Saints because he’s earned it, but Nicks is a two-time All Pro who deserves his payday as well.

Catch the rest, after the jump …

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Brad Lidge might be able to teach Peyton Manning how to make it rain in Washington.

If you’re any kind of baseball fan, you will probably remember Brad Lidge as the cog at the back end of the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen when they won the World Series in 2008.  Lidge cashed in on his big season with an even bigger three-year contract (3 years/$36 M) … and then imploded, sporting a hefty 7.21 ERA in 2009 and eventually losing his closer role.   Today, he signed a new free agent deal, jumping over to the Washington Nationals for $1M to be a setup man and wily old vet for the Nats’ young guns to consult when needed.

Now, Lidge is nowhere near the stature of Peyton Manning, of course, but there are parallels between their situations.  Like Lidge, Manning established himself as arguably the best at his position.  Like Lidge, Manning suffered a complete falloff in performance and fan/organization confidence, even if the two took vastly different paths.

Also like Lidge, Manning is going to have to prove himself again and will likely end up making a lot less money while he tries to do so.  Based on Internet and pundit scuttlebutt, there is also a decent chance that the two of them will end up playing in the same town.  Funny ol’ world, isn’t it?

The Pagano hiring may not sit well with Peyton Manning.

The Indianapolis Colts continued their breakneck off-season by hiring Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano on Wednesday.   Now comes the really fun part of the winter, when owner Jim Irsay gets to sort out what to do with quarterback  Peyton Manning.  Does Pagano’s hiring give us any hints about Manning’s future with the Colts?   Here are a few possibilities.

Manning Stays Because

• Pagano is a defensive mind and will help shore up the non-Manning side of the ball, ensuring that the Colts can win again soon.
• Clyde Christensen is still around (so far) as offensive coordinator, and he is adept at staying out of Manning’s way.
• We all really love Peyton Manning.

Manning Goes Because

• Pagano believes in defense, and offense be damned.
• Pagano will want his own offense, along with a new coordinator and quarterback to run it.
• Jeff Saturday may retire.
• Reggie Wayne may leave town.
• Andrew Luck is available in the draft.
• Manning is due a huge roster bonus in March.
• Pagano comes over from Baltimore, and his secret mission is to gut the Colts of their collective souls.   Karma, as they say, is a beach.
• This town ain’t big enough for the two of them (Manning and Pagano).  Pagano costs less.

What defensive secrets will Chuck Pagano bring with him to the Colts?

The Indianapolis Colts today hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to be their next head coach.  Pagano had spent three years as the Ravens secondary coach before taking over the entire defensive unit in 2011.   Under his direction, the Ravens ranked third in total defense in the NFL.

Owner Jim Irsay made good on his promise to wrap up the coaching search by this week and will introduce Pagano at a press conference tomorrow.   This is the second time that the Colts have gone with a defensive-minded head man, and the last one worked out pretty well (Tony Dungy).   We’ll see how this one goes.

One thing that is certain is that this hiring will do little to quell the Peyton Manning speculation that has been rampant in the first weeks of 2012.   Let the tea-leaf reading begin … or resume!

The lights could be dimming on the Peyton Manning Era with the Indianapolis Colts.

There has been a very sad football pall cast over the city of Indianapolis in the 24 hours (or so) since Bob Kravitz’s interview with quarterback Peyton Manning hit the news stands on Tuesday.   We are not used to seeing our Superman expressing any kind of emotion, let alone showing some frustration and dismay with the Indianapolis Colts, the team he has taken to unprecedented heights.  For now, Manning is still under the Blue and White Horseshoe, but owner Jim Irsay has marauded his way through the organization this off-season to such an extent that it’s easy to understand Manning’s unease.

But what do YOU think?   Will Manning still be a Colt when the 2012 NFL season kicks off this summer, or will he be playing somewhere else?  Or, will his neck continue to confound and land him out of the league completely?  Tell us your thoughts below.

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Manning and Irsay will always be linked, but what will the parting shot look like?

Peyton Manning spoke at length recently with Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star, and the Indianapolis Colts’ injured quarterback sounds unhappy, uncertain, and under the weather.   Specifically, Manning said that he’s having a hard time healing, and that he is not really thrilled with all of the changes that have occurred on and around the team in the weeks since their disappointing 2011 season ended.    The situation will probably not improve much for Number 18 anytime soon, what with a new coach scheduled to be brought on board any day now.

Manning also said that he has no idea what the future holds for him in terms of his place with the Colts beyond this winter.  He did drop something of a bombshell, though, when he said that owner Jim Irsay, and not new general manager Ryan Grigson, would decide whether Manning stays or goes.   That’s not really surprising, but it does seem to be another piece of evidence in the growing case that Irsay is becoming a very hands-on owner.   If Irsay continues to make all of the big decisions, we may have to start wondering how much of the lack of roster depth displayed recently was really Bill (and Chris) Polian’s doing, and how much came from a higher power.

It’s a point to ponder while we wait for Jim Tressel to make his way down from his consultant’s seat.