The back and forth between Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay is getting kind of annoying. Peyton is trying to position himself as the good guy with the fans if the Colts cut him and Irsay is trying to be the next Cuban or Jerry Jones by having more involvement with the team. Both guys just look bad and need to quit their griping in the press. If Manning is healthy I think the Colts would be dumb not to bring him back. However if he is healthy and they do cut him here are some of the teams I think that would want his services and if they are a good fit:
New York Jets: Mark Sanchez is there and he clearly needs some motivation. The Jets have a so-so running game. The Jets would love to bring Manning in because they are a team that believes they should be in the Super Bowl. Peyton would love to be near Eli and sharing the press with his little brother. Biggest reasons why it wouldn't work is Rex Ryan's mouth and the NY media. Ryan's boasting all the time and making Manning a target is something in the long run that would not work. Manning would have enough trouble learning a new offense, he wouldn't need Ryan's mouth putting more pressure on him. Think about the coaches he is used to playing for. Philip Fulmer, Tony Dungy and Jim Cladwell. Not real high profile, in your face guys. Also as I stated before, the NY media is relentless and a guy that likes to control the media like Peyton does could not handle the NY press.
Washington Redskins: Daniel Snyder would love to make a huge splash with a Manning signing. The Redskins haven't had a good quarterback since Mark Rypien(and if you are under the age of 25 you may have to Google that). Mike Shanahan would then have a quarterback he should trust but this team is not in a position to win now. Their defense is good but their offense is woeful. The Skins have no receivers and I don't even think Manning could make them better.
Miami Dolphins: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross got left at the altar again this year when he tried to hire Jeff Fisher, if Manning is available you can bet he would put a full court press to get him to fill the seats in Miami. The problem here is two-fold with the Dolphins.First the Dolphins have a new coach in former Packers coordinator Joe Philbin and he has hired Mike Sherman former Packers coach and they will probably go after soon to be former Packer Matt Flynn who knows their offense. Plus the Dolphins are not close to winning being in the brutal AFC East.
Seattle Seahawks: It's a small market which fits Manning. The Seahawks could easily contend in the weak NFC West. However, their receivers are nearly as bad as the 49ers. Highly unlikely.
Now for the Wild Cards:
New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees hasn't signed a new deal. Peyton is from New Orleans and that city would embrace him with open arms. They have a strong receiving core and are in a winnable division. The Saints real issues are on the defensive side and that can be fixed through the draft and free agency. Do I think Brees will sign an extension? Yes but the longer it takes, the more of a possibility the Saints are waiting to see if Peyton is healthy or not.
San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers receivers are terrible but they do have a weapon in Vernon Davis that is appealing. Also the Niners stout running game and defense prove that they are in a win now phase. The only negative is that Manning is not as mobile as Alex Smith. Harbaugh likes to run his quarterback on a lot of bootlegs and Manning is a true pocket passer. However, Peyton's talent may be too much to pass up, especially with a team that is so close to going to the Super Bowl.
Houston Texans: Why the Texans you ask? Word is that the team does not believe Matt Schaub can stay healthy. The Texans proved this year that with a healthy quarterback they can truly be contenders. Manning would take this already good team and make them great. The defense has playmakers all over the field. The offense has depth at the skill positions and the offensive line is truly great. Their division is up for grabs because the Colts would be rebuilding, the Jaguars are rebuilding and the Titans are well the Titans.Peyton is pretty calculating and wouldn't it be great to play the team that dumped you two times a year, especially in the stadium you built? This team would stun everyone if they got Manning.
I will restate this again, I think it would be dumb for the Colts to let him walk away if he is healthy. Peyton could be their legacy player and that is a good thing for football and for the city of Indianapolis. Manning also has to realize that he would have to give a little on his contract, especially with the Colts drafting Luck. You can't make all of those demands in the past because you are not in the position you once were. Coming off three neck surgeries in 19 months, definitely gives a team cause for concern. All of this would be mute if Peyton isn't healthy. Although the possibilities are endless if Manning is cleared to play.
A few minutes after my post, the Colts issued this statement from Irsay and Manning. Who knew my little blog was this effective?:)
Thanks for reading and comments are always welcome
No comments:
Post a Comment