After Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay made the bold decision on Monday to fire team vice chairman Bill Polian and his son, Chris, the general manager, the typically steady Colts were suddenly cast into a state of calculated upheaval.

Who'll be running the Colts' front office isn't clear. And since the Polians' ouster effectively put coach Jim Caldwell's future with the team in a holding pattern, who will coach the Colts next season is a mystery, too.

But what the Colts should do with the No. 1 pick couldn't be more obvious.

Forget about Stanford's Andrew Luck. The Colts should use the top pick on Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III.

Andrew Luck sounded more interested in starting in the NFL than waiting his turn when he spoke after the Fiesta Bowl. AP Photo/Matt York

Of course, this is assuming that the Colts keep the pick. If another team offers the Colts multiple high draft picks for the No. 1, the Colts have to take the deal in order to maximize the remainder of Peyton Manning's Hall of Fame career.

But if a sweetheart deal doesn't materialize, drafting Griffin makes more sense for the Colts than selecting Luck.

This isn't a criticism of Luck, a dynamic NFL prospect who is the most pro-ready quarterback in college football. Luck has all the tools -- size, arm strength, intelligence, maturity, leadership, on top of being a pretty good athlete. If Luck pans out, his NFL team wouldn't have to worry about the quarterback position for a decade.

So if Luck is that good, why not draft him No. 1 overall?

For the Colts, this decision must be based on more than just which quarterback is better now. The Colts need to be able to use the No. 1 pick not only to plan for life without Manning, but also to give themselves the best opportunity to win now.

Manning's future in Indianapolis is uncertain. The Colts must decide in March if they will pay him a $28 million option bonus that activates the final four years of his five-year, $90 million contract. If the Colts elect not to pay Manning, he'll become an unrestricted free agent.

Obviously, Manning's health is the primary issue. Even at 35 years old, if Manning is healthy, he's an elite quarterback.