Indianapolis Colts won't pursue WR Marvin Harrison -- nor should they

Former Indianapolis Colts WR Marvin Harrison (AP Photo)

Regarding the story that is inevitably beginning to percolate around the Indianapolis Colts -- the should-they-shouldn't they-would-he-should-he story of the potential return of eight-time Pro Bowl WR Marvin Harrison --let's try to stop it now, before it gets started.

If, that is, it already isn't too late.

Which it almost certainly is.

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Still, for the record, let's say two things here:

1) The Colts aren't going to try to bring Harrison back.

2) Nor should they.

In the wake of what is being reported as a two-to six-week knee injury to WR Anthony Gonzalez, the possibility will be discussed and proposed, and in fact, it already has. Pro Football Talk wrote Sunday that while league sources were saying the Colts hadn't contacted Harrison about returning that situation could change, and websites devoted to the Colts raised the question of a possible return rhetorically Sunday evening. Colts QB Peyton Manning deflected a preliminary question on the matter in his postgame press conference, and while I didn't see or hear Colts President Bill Polian after the game, this item from Sports Illustrated Peter King didn't surprise me at all:

Bill Polian told me after the game that the Colts, even if Anthony Gonzalez's knee injury is more than a one-month deal, wouldn't consider bringing Marvin Harrison out of retirement.

Former Colts Head Coach and NBC analyst Tony Dungy said on NBC's broadcast Sunday he believes Harrison could contribute to the Colts, adding:

"The injury must not be that serious. If they're not going to go after Marvin Harrison, who can still play by the way, that means that (new coach) Jim Caldwell and Peyton Manning have confidence in those young receivers, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon.

Dungy also said:

"Marvin does want to play. He can play but Marvin does want to get paid."

Due respect to Dungy -- and I respect him more than anyone in football -- what all of this also tells you is something that was obvious last season, that while Harrison made eight Pro Bowls from 1999-2006 and that while he could someday be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Indianapolis and the rest of the league clearly see him as not only is past his very-productive prime but enough so that the combination of Pierre Garcon/Austin Collie/Dallas Clark is a better alternative. This is not to be snide regarding Harrison's accomplishments, but as evidenced by his recent willilngness to release recent draft selections, Polian is a facts-first-sentiment-never-ever-ever general manager/president. That has been a reason the Colts have made seven consecutive playoff appearances, and it's a reason that one of the hidden stories of the team's opener Sunday was that rookies and young players such as CB Jerraud Powers/RB Donald Brown/Collie/Garcon were contributing on a team that many national anaylists perceive as being too old to compete.

But that's the longwinded version. Shorter is this: The Colts are a team that skews toward young when at all possible. They drafted Collie and Garcon, and believe they are capable. Harrison was a great player in Indianapolis, and it's not insulting his career to say he's not the right fit now. But as Polian knows, sentiment doesn't matter in the NFL, only facts.

And right now, the facts are 32 teams this offseason didn't want Harrison, and that -- injury to Gonzalez or not -- the Colts aren't going to be calling Harrison. Nor should they.

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