Destination Peyton: Where Will #18 Take His Talents?
Peyton Manning, free agent.
While Colts fans come to grips with that sobering fact, several NFL teams will be positioning themselves for what they consider the last piece to their Super Bowl puzzle. Where the future Hall of Famer lands is anyone’s guess. Here’s my two cents:
THE FAVORITE
Miami Dolphins – Dolphins owner Stephen Ross desperately needs to accomplish two things in 2012: sell tickets and find the next Dan Marino. Signing Manning is the magical stone that kills both of these gigantic birds hovering over South Beach. Miami is already an enticing destination for free agents – can you imagine if Peyton is signed, sealed and delivered by March 13? Reggie Wayne and/or Pierre Garcon, come on down! For Manning, it makes a ton of sense: i) he has a home there, ii) he’s still in the AFC, away from his brother, and iii) going head-to-head against Tom Brady twice a year is the type of challenge that Manning lives for. And let’s not forget the potential for guaranteed cash. As my Dolphin fan friend Pat told me this week, Ross will not be outbid.
IN THE MIX
Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals have quickly realized that the Kevin Kolb experiment may not work out as they had originally hoped. The pairing of Manning and Larry Fitzgerald in a controlled climate could be lethal, and Ken Whisenhunt has obviously had great success with a Hall of Fame quarterback in the latter stages of his career. Keep in mind that the Cards won seven of their final nine games last season and Cardinal players realize they are just an elite QB away from contention (defensive tackle Darnell Dockett has already started campaigning for Manning on Twitter). The two burning questions here are i) will owner Bill Bidwell fork over the dough after breaking the bank for Kolb? and ii) is playing in the NFC a deal breaker for Peyton?
Kansas City Chiefs – Not as far-fetched as you may think, although it would be a little strange to see Manning align with Patriots Midwest. Peyton doesn’t need to play somewhere glamorous – Indianapolis wasn’t exactly Sin City. In fact, the more you think about it, the more it makes sense for Manning to be in an environment where football is the only thing. The weapons are certainly in place: Dwayne Bowe, Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster and Tony Moeaki. Scott Pioli and Romeo Crennel seem OK with telling Matt Cassel thanks, but no thanks. Plus, there’s that “best chance to win” thing. The balance of power in a weak AFC West immediately shifts to the Chiefs with Manning under center.
New York Jets – Jet players have come to the realization that Mark Sanchez isn’t the guy, but has the front office? New York runs the risk of losing the locker room if Sanchez sputters out of the gates in 2012. They’re stuck with Santonio Holmes’ awful contract and Rex Ryan’s tough guy act has been confirmed as all bark, no bite. If there’s any team that needs that perfect combination of leadership and culture change right now, it’s the Jets. But will Peyton want to share the Big Apple with Eli? And more importantly, will he want to join a team with that many built-in egos and distractions? A tough sell for Mike Tannenbaum.
