It has been reported that Edgerrin James may be requesting a trade out of Indianapolis. His agent Drew Rosenhaus states that he didn't think that James could get a long-term contract from the Colts. Rosenhaus goes on to say that the Colts are making it easy for him to contact potential trade partners. Why is Indianapolis being so agreeable when it comes to Edgerrin? It is because James is expendable. I know that he rushed for over 1,500 yards this year and was selected to the Pro Bowl and that he is a solid back. However, he doesn't get into the end zone. He only scored 9 touchdowns this year. Nine?? The Colts offense is designed to score from anywhere on the field through the air and Peyton Manning is by far the deadliest person on that team.
When Peyton Manning is on the field its like having an offensive coordinator in the huddle. Manning will get his team into the end zone with or without Edgerrin James. Now that Marvin Harrison and Brandon Stokely both signed to long-term deals, Indianapolis will have one of the most feared air attacks in the NFL for quite some time. All they need on offense is a serviceable back and Dominic Rhodes is more than qualified. He has been a very good backup to Edge for the past four years. He rushed for over 1,100 yards in only ten games when he replaced Edgerrin back in 2001. That mark is a record for rookies. That should tell you how good he is.
If the Colts are smart they will use this opportunity to get help on defense, especially in the secondary. This is where Indianapolis should focus on if they trade James. They should be able to get one high-level corner or safety and a high draft pick. They could then either draft a defensive player or trade that pick to acquire another solid performer. Indy should seek this trade without the slightest of hesitation. They would become an even more balanced team and would be my pick for next year's Superbowl.
