https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/this-nfc-team-aggressively-tried-to-trade-up-for-andrew-luck-back-in-2012-nfl-draft-per-report/

This NFC team aggressively tried to trade up for Andrew Luck back in 2012 NFL Draft, per report

The club also had eyes on Peyton Manning

By Cody Benjamin

5 hrs ago • 1 min read

 

 

Andrew Luck's NFL career remains one of the most thought-provoking of recent memory. To this day, the former Indianapolis Colts star is mentioned among all-time greats, a half-decade after his abrupt retirement at the age of 29. It turns out the quarterback's career could have started a lot differently, too.

Like many teams circa 2012, the Philadelphia Eagles "had a really high grade" on Luck coming out of Stanford, according to PHLY's Zach Berman. Despite just signing Michael Vick to a six-year contract extension the year prior, however, the Eagles also "tried manically to trade up" for the No. 1 overall pick, likely "hoping that the Colts would bring Peyton [Manning] back" and essentially auction the rights to Luck.

In the end, Luck went to Indianapolis, and the Eagles used a third-round pick that year to draft Nick Foles, who would go on to win Super Bowl LII for Philadelphia, albeit in his second stint with the team.

Funny enough, Luck's predecessor in Indianapolis was also on the Eagles' radar during that time. After Vick's numbers dipped following his career renaissance in 2010, Philly expressed interest in Manning once the longtime Colts signal-caller was released by Indianapolis, as was reported at the time. Manning reportedly wasn't keen on joining the Eagles, however, especially because he would've shared a division with his brother Eli, then the quarterback for the rival New York Giants.

It wasn't until close to a decade later, in 2021, that the Colts and Eagles finally saw their quarterbacks swap uniforms, with Philly trading Carson Wentz to Indianapolis, where Foles also briefly played in 2022.

 

Oh how different things could have been hey! Still wouldn’t change it. Luck was a top QB but he didn’t win a SB and retired fairly young. We drafted Foles and the rest is history.

Howie needs to write a "tell all" when he retires. 

Luck wouldn't have retired so early playing behind our oline. But I'll take Foles and a SB win 100 out 100 times.

There was really never any chance that Indy wasn't going to take Luck at that draft.  Absolutely zero.

Luck was widely considered a generational talent ... the next Peyton Manning.  I'm sure there were a bunch of teams "aggressively trying" to move up for him.  

On 6/26/2024 at 10:36 AM, time2rock said:

Luck was widely considered a generational talent ... the next Peyton Manning.  I'm sure there were a bunch of teams "aggressively trying" to move up for him.  

I agree.  I forget the sequencing.  And I doubt anything actually would have convinced the Colts to forfeit Luck.  But I’d bet a few teams felt that maybe they could give the Colts enough assets to convince the Colts to make another run around Manning.