What would you do with Peyton Manning?

me-skywalker wrote: »

For me this is it. A 28 million bonus + 4 neck surgeries + 36 years old + 1 Season off + #1 Draft Pick + the most highly rated QB in the Draft for decades = End of an era ushering in of a new one. The Packers done it under different circumstances and had Rodgers now look how that turned out, same might happen with Luck in 2 or 3 seasons could be in the SB hunt.

I take your point and its interesting and basically sums up some of what i meant but Andrew Brandt from Nationalfootballpost.com who as an agent understands the Tom Condon contract ,which has us at this particular juncture but also was in the Green Bay Packers Front office in 2008 when the tussle with Favre occurred talks openly about those 2008 times in Green Bay and the "Peyton Predicament" as he calls it

He says that essentially the Packers had tired of the "will he wont he" retirement sagas but also that Favre changed things at scrimmage , done his own thing in general and could be impossible to manage , in a word the GM Ted Thompson had tired on him , THompson an essentially cautious man he had taken a while to deal with the issue head-on and Favre was playing at a high level . The circus that ensued shows that pre-2008 the concerns about Favre were probably on the money

Where the Colts differs is that in 2010 , Irsay approved a massively front loaded contract cos he was getting a high-achieving QB performing at a high level for at least 4 years in the future and thought it would continue that way ...so far no problem ....when the injuries mounted up ....Irsay still would have taken back a fit Manning and continued as before ...but the disastrous season and the No.1 pick meant that Irsay was suddenly getting a replacement and the $28m poison pill was inserted for just that eventuality ....that poison pill meant Manning could have the final say ...a lot of posters see this as the Colts cutting Manning, its Manning's contract cutting the Colts .

As Andrew Brandt has explained given the losing record and the no 1 pick having been gained which are history now ...the best eventuality for Jim Irsay was that a fit and well Manning would arrive back so Irsay would have the bounty that a trade would provide

He loses this and the contract poison pill means he has no choice but cut him , Tom Condon earned his money

me-skywalker wrote: »

I agree completly with the whole article and the moving onward side. Colts fans are the losers here because you have had two factions constantly trying to get the up on each other and conflicting reports every second day and mis-information, then goons like us speculating and commenting. The whole situation has been handled badly from the start. I think we all knew what would happen or what needed to happen all along.

I think the crux of the whole episode up was probably the most important thing and that is the one that is over looked; Manning's ability to play when he came back, for me was crucial to the whole thing. I think he would have shifted some of the bonus no problem if he was given a guarantee to be starter for next 2 seasons. Colts couldn't offer that as they couldn't, and I use this lightly, rely/trust his health. It was grey area with still no answers and I think the Colts want a definitive stable platform to build on for the next few years.

Much like the Packers, Thompson wanted the issue put to bed, a stable platform to work from for the next few years. Hey don't forget the concerns about Favre nearly got the Vikes to the SB! Manning could very well turn up next season rip-roaring and ready to go. Hopefully he does and gets a chance at some retrospective "I told you so."

I agree , Manning couldnt guarantee Irsay his health and armed with a no 1 pick and a close to sure-thing in Luck , Irsay couldnt guarantee Manning starting for any considerable period, hence the March 9th clause ....it pushes a management to do things as opposed to sitting on someone's rights ...pity in a way all round

now i think Manning will kick their ass sometime as i think there is lots of football left in him

Just after trumpeting that many teams may look at Manning ...by that i mean 5-10 .....nothing like blowing your own trumpet (or reading a lot in my case)

Both the Seahawks and Jets are entering the fray

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/07/report-seahawks-willing-to-spend-big-for-peyton-manning/

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/10880/sources-jets-will-check-out-peyton

some juicy stuff include
[I]"Financially, it would be almost impossible to have Manning and Sanchez, who is counting $14.3 million on the salary cap. The Jets have only about $7 million in cap room, but they can create another $9 million by unloading Sanchez, who has two years left on his rookie contract.

None of Sanchez’s 2012 salary is guaranteed. The unofficial deadline to make a QB decision is March 28, when Sanchez is due a $2.75 million roster bonus"[/I]

My take on Manning's possible options (note cap no.'s are a couple of weeks old):

AFC East
Bills: $30-$35 million Interest level: Low. Odds: Low Paid a ton of money to Fitzgerald and he's their guy, obviously Manning is an upgrade but I dont see it

Jets: under $2 million Interest level: High. Odds: Medium Sanchez is a bust but the Jets would have to gut a non playoff team to fit him in, obviously not very attractive to Payton. Also Payton is a classy, hard working guy, I dont think his personality would mesh well in the locker room :P

Dolphins: close to $16 million Interest level: High. Odds: High Definitely a contender. They have the room to buy a decent offense and decent defense but I dont see them as favourites.

Patriots: close to $20 million Interest level: None

AFC North
Bengals: close to $60 million Interest level: Low. Odds: Low. A ton of money to spend but they have a v promising QB in Dalton, why sacrifice the future of the franchise for a few years of good QB play

Browns: close to $25 million Interest level: Medium. Odds: Medium. McCoy is good but never will be elite. Payton would have no interest.

Ravens: close to $10 million Interest level: Low. Odds: Low. Dont see it.

Steelers: over by $10-$12 million Interest level: None

AFC South
Colts: $20-$25 million Interest level: None

Jaguars: close to $45 million Interest level: Medium. Odds: Medium. This is a team nobody has talked about. A rookie QB who doesn’t look like the future. A new owner may want to make a splash but Peyton will won’t to play for a contender...the Jags ain't that.

Texans: $3-$4 million Interest level: Low. Odds: Low. Good QB and they can barely fit under the cap at the mo and have to let Williams go

Titans: $30-$35 million Interest level: Low. Odds: Low. They like Ponder and Hasselbeck duking it out in TC so I dont see them getting involved.

AFC West:
Broncos: close to $50 million Interest level: High. Odds: High The Broncos have to be interested even if they won’t say it publically. Good roster with a lot of cap to pay Manning and pick up a few star FAs too, they must be v attractive to Peyton...have to be a contender.

Chargers: $9-$10 million Interest level: None

Chiefs: $60-63 million Interest level: High. Odds: High Matt Cassel or Orton...or Manning? Good defense and some weapons on offense. Contender.

Raiders: over $11 million Interest level: None They can’t afford him and they mortgaged the franchise on Palmer

NFC East
Cowboys: close to $12 million Interest level: Low. Odds: Low. According to Jones: Romo is elite

Giants: over by $5-$7 million Interest level: None

Eagles: close to $18 million Interest level: None

Redskins: $45-$48 million Interest level: High. Odds: High Good offense lacking a QB, Good Defense, well respected HC, tool of an owner but certainly a contender.

NFC North
Bears: $25-$28 million Interest level: Low. Odds: Low. Obviously an upgrade on Cutler but the Bears mortgaged the franchise on him a few years back.

Lions: Under $2 million Interest level: None

Packers: $10-$12 million Interest level: None

Vikings: $8-$10 million Interest level: Medium. Odds: Medium. Poor roster, little cap space, not very attractive to Manning, they have a possible future QB.

NFC South
Buccaneers: $60-$65 million Interest level: Low. Odds: Low. See Bengals

Falcons: $20-$25 million Interest level: None

Panthers: over by $4-$5 million Interest level: None

Saints: $20-$25 million Interest level: None

NFC West
49ers: $30-$35 million Interest level: Medium. Odds: High Does Harbaugh want to rock the boat with a QB that may not be healthy over a QB he trusts? If the 49ers are legitimately interested, I would make them hot favourites...what wouldn’t Peyton like? A great roster, cap room for improvement, historic franchise in a weak division...

Cardinals: $12-$14 million Interest level: High. Odds: Medium Kolb doesn’t appear to be the answer and the Cardinals have Fitzgerald...but that’s it. Their roster is average and they dont have much room to improve. A lot of places have them as one of the favourites but I dont see it.

Rams: $3-6 million Interest level: None

Seahawks: $30-$35 million Interest level: High. Odds: High A lot of cap room, decent roster, they'll be in with a shout.


So for me, it’s between the following:
49ers
Cardinals
Redskins
Chiefs
Seahawks
Broncos
Dolphins

Everybody else is a long shot.

I can definitely see Broncos being interested. If Manning comes in the apple cart won't be upset as he's one of the few QB's who them large majority of Broncos fans would be happy to see go past Tebow. Also gives Tebow a few more years to sit and learn which he needs to do.

FreeOSCAR wrote: »

Just listening to Marshall Faulk on the NFL Network there (Good close friend of Peyton) and he was pretty adamant that the Mannings won't share a conference as they have some big dream of playing in a Superbowl against each other. He mentions Eli not going to San Diego back in 04.

So if Faulk is correct that really only leaves 2 teams I think in the sweepstakes. The Dolphins and the Chiefs. I think the Jets and the Broncos and maybe some more like the Titans will kick the tires/have him visit but I can't see them biting.

For me, the Dolphins should be favourites.
Plenty of cap room to accommodate him.
Big Sporting City, loves their sports.
Stephen Ross is dying to make a big splash (Marino has never been replaced)
New HC and OC, Peyton can rule the roost calling plays.
They are a win now organisation with big players currently on both sides of the ball.

Agreed, some people even had him going to the Washington too. It's madness. I'd agree with Miami or the Jets.

All I hope is that the guy gets another SB. Legend.

Vegas odds:


Cardinals: 19%
Dolphins: 16.5%
Redskins: 13%
Jets: 9.5%
Chiefs: 7.5%
Retire: 6%
Seahawks: 6%
Texans: 4%
49ers: 3%
Broncos: 3%
Titans: 1.5%
Team Not Listed: 11%