Jump to content
Want to remove all ads? ×

Let the Manning to Jets Speculation begin

CTM

By CTM
in NY Jets Forum

Recommended Posts

CTM

CTM

Posted
Posted

http://www.nfl.com/n..._headline_stack

Could Peyton Manning (left) suit up for Rex Ryan's Jets in 2012? Stranger things have happened in the NFL.

Let's address the elephant in the room:

Peyton Manning has played his last game as an Indianapolis Colt.

Go ahead, say it out loud a few times, you'll be surprised how easy it sounds.

The Colts have a two-game lead on their closest competitor in the race for the No. 1 draft pick. Peyton Manning said this week he was OK with Indianapolis drafting a "quarterback of the future." So far, it's been a slow and careful dance between Manning and the Colts -- no one wants to insult anyone until Indy is officially on the clock. But this is happening.

For all those who can see a 2012 season in which Manning -- and his $28 million option and $30 million guaranteed -- tutors, say, Andrew Luck, you are living in Fantasyland. Forget about restructuring contracts, the passing of torches and the respect both sides have for one another. Manning is going to want to go somewhere else for the next 3-4 years, provided he's healthy.

I think the only real question is how Manning exits Indy: Do the Colts release him, or do they work out a trade to recoup what would likely be a first-round draft pick and a little more? Worried about the money aspect? He'll get a new contract if he gets let go or a re-structured one in a trade, which means teams who want to make this move need not concern themselves with the bottom line. Either way, get ready for Manning in a new uniform on the cover of Madden '13. So which one will it be?

Glad you asked. We'll list the potential landing spots and rank them in terms of likelihood. There are teams who are in desperate need of a signal-caller, or those who would dump their current one in a second for Manning. A ranking of one Manning Brother means it's the least likely, while three Mannings means you can at least put in a jersey pre-order at NFL.com.

Tennessee Titans

It would be a great story to see him return to the state where he became famous. He can reunite with

Smokey and sing
on Saturdays. His head can be in the white spots in the Volunteers' checkerboard end zone. Have a nice daydream with that? Forget it. Bill Polian isn't letting Manning go to a division rival where he can come back and haunt the Colts twice a year. He'll trade him to the Patriots before he does that. One Manning brother.

Cleveland Browns

This would let him finish his career on one of the most storied franchises in NFL history and make them relevant again, just like he did with the Colts. But Manning's going to want to go to a team that at least looks like it has a chance to win, with a strong head coach and a front office he trusts. So that crosses out Cleveland. One Manning brother.

Seattle Seahawks

Another instance of a lack of organizational strength. "OK, Peyton, when I was at USC this is how we would attack the 4-3 … ." One Manning Brother.

Denver Broncos

John Elway and John Fox would be pretty nice recruiters, wouldn't they? Returning a team to glory they haven't seen since No. 7 was on the field is enticing. Ah, and therein lies the rub. Manning already made himself a legend. He's not going to step in for one and listen to Denver sports talk radio hosts say, "OK callers, who's the better quarterback: Elway or Manning?" One and a half Manning brothers.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins name alone commands respect. Mike Shanahan playing roulette with his running backs and deciding the Beck/Grossman combination would equal wins? Not so much. Playing for the Redskins is like going back to the bar you loved in your early 20s. When you returned years later, however, you saw how much disrepair it was in. You visit with the owner, who remembers you and asks if you wanted to invest. What do you do? Yeah, I thought so. One and a half Manning brothers.

San Francisco 49ers

Alex Smith's success notwithstanding,

Colin Kaepernick is not the future in San Francisco. Jim Harbaugh is firmly entrenched as the leader, but is he OK with sharing the spotlight with Manning? I don't have San Francisco higher on this list strictly because of that. New coaches want to win with their own guys. Manning would come in, engulf the team and the town, and Harbaugh would be riding shotgun on the Manning Express. Call it a gut feeling, but I just don't see this as a potential good fit. I can't see Manning shaking Harbaugh's hand at the end of games. Harbaugh can take credit for the Smith resurrection, but he would get none for Manning. One and a half Manning brothers.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Midwest. America's heartland. A lifestyle he's grown accustomed to. Some pretty nice weapons to throw to in

Dwayne Bowe, Jonathan Baldwin and Steve Breaston, and potentially a healthy Jamaal Charles. A solid front office. Hey, Joe Montana did it, and if Joe can do it, anyone can. Manning would be a really nice fit in K.C. -- he'd be comfortable there. The Chiefs are the first of the potential suitors on this list that I really think could make a run for Manning. The AFC West is up for grabs every year, and he immediately makes them a contender. Two Manning brothers.

Arizona Cardinals

This was a tough one to handicap. The Cardinals are a fashionable bunch with

Larry Fitzgerald, plus Kurt Warner made it cool to go to the desert and have a great career after age 35. Part of me thinks following Warner would work against a Manning bid, as will the Cardinals' attempt to get out from under the Kevin Kolb mistake. There's a lot going in Arizona's favor, however. Ken Whisenhunt has shown he has no problem putting his eggs in a veteran quarterback's basket. He's an extremely strong offensive head coach for whom Manning would love to play. Just like with the Chiefs in the AFC West, a Manning-led Cardinals team would become a yearly favorite to win the division. Two Manning brothers.

Miami Dolphins

What works against the Dolphins is a total lack of direction. Miami flew cross-country to woo Jim Harbaugh and then gave Tony Sparano an extension. Owner Stephen Ross said mid-season that he wants a franchise QB for next year, while

Chad Henne was still healthy. I would hide Ross on any potential visit and just trot out J-Lo and Gloria Estefan for all the PR stuff. "Hey Bernice, why does my schedule have me in Nova Scotia when Manning is here?" Miami remains a huge selling point. Brandon Marshall has become a star again, and Reggie Bush has become one for the first time in the NFL. A new regime will be in place, and there's no way it's not one of the most respected coach-GM combinations in football. If you're the Dolphins, you have to do this to compete in the AFC East for the next few seasons. Ross clearly wants to make a splash. Miami is like Los Angeles Lite, where the lights might be bright enough without being too bright for Manning. And if he doesn't win, everyone can always blame LeBron. Two and a half Manning brothers.

tnf_111107_100.jpg
NFL Network
is your home for
Thursday Night Football
. Catch all eight games live and in HD.

This week ...

Game:
Jets at Broncos

When:
Thursday, Nov. 17, 8 p.m. ET

Watch:
On
NFL Network
and NFL.com/LIVE

For a complete Thursday Night Football schedule, go to
NFL.com/TNF
.

New York Jets

I know what you're thinking, "Oh, the Jets fan picks the Jets." Just do me a favor and play out this season. After the Patriots' loss, we know Rex Ryan is frustrated completely with Mark Sanchez, as he hasn't made the strides in Year Three that Ryan expected. The offensive players don't trust him, witnessed by captain Santonio Holmes' outburst after the Ravens loss. And you can't win a Super Bowl without an elite QB. New York is built to win now. Ryan will hold a telethon or some other such nonsense if he thought the Jets could get him. "It's Day 46 of Rex Up A Tree for Peyton, let's go there live!" He's brash, wants to make bold moves, and this would be the boldest thing he could do. The Jets have a recent history of making these kinds of moves and have convinced plenty of players to come to the greater New York area. I can see the Jets jumping the gun and offering a big package for him, with the Colts thinking, "Well, at the very least they'll make life more difficult forTom Brady. So, why not?" This is who the Jets are. They don't do anything quietly. And best of all, the Jets are the most ready-made Super Bowl team Manning could join. If Brett Favre can trade in the Midwest for Manhattan and do OK, so can Manning. And personally if that happened, I would forgive Manning for staying in school and not coming out in 1997 when the Jets had the No. 1 pick. Three Manning brothers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ghost

Ghost

Posted
Posted

I'll pass.

You can better than Sanchez. He can't pass for sh*t.

Sign me up for this Manning guy. I can dream right? Two Mannings in the Big Apple. Make it happen. Honestly, at this point, Sanchez has played just as bad as his rookie season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SMC

SMC

Posted
Posted

If Manning is (1) healthy and (2) available, the Jets HAVE TO GET HIM.

There is no if ands or buts if the answer is yes to both. It's 100% get him.

That said, I have serious questions about his neck and I still say the odds are strong (not 50/50) but strong, that Manning never plays again. This is really not an injury you can play through.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SMC

SMC

Posted
Posted

There is no way they trade him nonetheless trading him in the AFC. Plus who knows what this injury has done to him? Furthermore there are holes on the OL holes at safety and other places that need to be addressed first. Manning or any QB with Wayne Hunter protecting him is a bad idea.

Manning will dictate where he goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CTM

CTM

Posted
  • Author
Posted

If Manning is (1) healthy and (2) available, the Jets HAVE TO GET HIM.

There is no if ands or buts if the answer is yes to both. It's 100% get him.

That said, I have serious questions about his neck and I still say the odds are strong (not 50/50) but strong, that Manning never plays again. This is really not an injury you can play through.

didn't eli just say that manning will play again this year?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Klecko73isGod

Klecko73isGod

Posted
Posted

Really don't know how I feel about this.

I love Peyton Manning and have always hated that fat **** Parcells for screwing up our chance to draft him. I've always wondered how different the NFLwould have been. If Peyton Manning were on the roster does Belichick leave? But this is far from being a black and white thing at this point.

We have no idea if Manning will ever play again and if he does, will he be the same guy he was before the injury? I still think Sanchez has untapped potential and an deserves at least a year with a competent OC and would absolutely hate it if he went somewhere else and became a superstar, especially if all we're getting in return is a broken down old man who can't play at a high level anymore.

There are too many variables at this point for me to commit one way or the other.

I will say this: if he comes back this year and plays and plays well - DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN TANNY!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ZachEY

ZachEY

Posted
Posted

I just heard that Manning might not be able to be traded at all.

The Colts owe him 28M before the league year begins.

A trade cannot come until after the league year begins.

Therefore, the Colts either need to cut him (unlikely), pay him 28M and then trade him (more unlikely), or keep him.

Seems like no question.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

Content Partnership

Yes Network

Site Sponsor

MILE-Social - NJ Social Media & SEO company

Site Sponsor

MetLife Stadium Tailgate

NY Jets Podcast

NY Jets Podcast

DMCA Page

  • -- DMCA Page
    • ×
    ×
    • Create New...