Colts' decision on Manning could drag into March

When it comes to the state of the Indianapolis Colts offense heading into the 2012 season, all conversation has to start with quarterback Peyton Manning and how his status with the team is expected to change in the next couple of weeks.

Team owner Jim Irsay and Manning are expected to meet sometime next week. Irsay, though, said recently that a final decision may not be forthcoming until next month.

The Colts' four-time league MVP underwent neck fusion surgery Sept. 8 and has not practiced with the team since the end of the 2010 season. He is due a $28 million bonus on March 8 if he remains with the franchise.

"I would imagine we'll go into early March and that sort of thing in terms of us just having a conversation. But like I've said before, it's a serious medical thing. It's a very complicated medical issue. There's a lot of things that get lost in the shuffle in terms of really looking at the situation," Irsay said.

"One of the things is you just haven't seen this in an NFL quarterback at all. And when you try to consult doctors, literally worldwide, in terms of what are the expectations, what are the dangers, the risks, the aspects of it, no one can give you a definitive answer. It's very unusual and it's obviously been going on for over a year now."

The question that must be answered is whether Manning can return to his previous form as a four-time league Most Valuable Player.

"Can he return to play at a really high level? Can he drill it in Foxboro in January when it's 10 degrees outside? Is he going to be back to the highest Hall of Fame level that he expects to play at?," Irsay said.

"I think the second issue has always been the health and the risk of going back onto the field. There are two separate issues. They're complicated issues."

Also to be determined relatively soon is what the Colts will do with three wide receivers who will be unrestricted free agents -- wide receivers Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez. Tight end Jacob Tamme is also an unrestricted free agent.

Wayne or Garcon might be franchised. Other offensive issues include the offensive line where a pair of veterans, center Jeff Saturday and offensive tackle/guard Ryan Diem, are both contemplating retirement.

Should the Colts and Manning part ways, as expected, the Colts will most likely use the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft on his replacement. Stanford's Andrew Luck is the probable pick, although the team will also take a long look at Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

"I feel like I have a pretty good feel (for both players) but when you really want to narrow and hunker down, you've got to spend those days and compare and look and pick out who is your guy," general manager Ryan Grigson said. "It's a process, just like all this is. I'd be lying if I said I was dead set on anything right now."

Whoever plays quarterback for the Colts in 2012, the offense will be striving for better overall balance.

"You cannot be one dimensional. You want to stay balanced and I learned that from (former Indianapolis offensive coordinator) Tom Moore, who I think is one of the best ever. The fourth quarter dictates itself. If you are behind, you are going to throw more. If you are ahead, you are going to try and eat clock," new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians explained.

"It's a quarterback friendly offense, but it also puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback to get us in the right play and allows the freedom to grow."

And learning comes with playing early, Arians said.

"Let him grow. Put him out there and let him play. They are going to make mistakes. You have to live with it and learn from it to get better," the veteran NFL assistant said.

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