Frank Reich consulted Peyton Manning about Colts' QB search

With Philip Rivers now in retirement and Jacoby Brissett set to become a free agent, the Indianapolis Colts are in search of a new quarterback for the 2021 season and beyond. 

Unsurprisingly, Colts head coach Frank Reich has spoken to two-time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning about players who could help the franchise move forward without Rivers, according to Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star.

"After Philip retired, I started going, 'OK, here's all the quarterbacks who could be out there,'" Reich said. "And as we're talking about who's going to be our starting quarterback next year, yeah, I called Peyton and asked him his opinion on some of the guys. . . . When you hear from Peyton, it obviously carries a ton of weight. It carries a ton of weight. . . . Whatever percentage of all the other opinions matter, which is a smaller percentage of the overall picture, Peyton's percentage is going to be higher because of who he is."

Reich did not reveal any of the conversation he had with Manning, so it's unclear what the five-time MVP might have told him.

The free-agent market isn't that strong this offseason, and the Colts would have to trade up in the 2021 draft to select a solid starter. One of the franchise's best options might be to take on a bridge quarterback and wait until 2022 to make a move. 

This will continue to be a major storyline for the Colts throughout the offseason, but it certainly doesn't help to seek the advice of a future Hall of Famer.