Peyton's Decision

As the dust settles on the most important decision the Indianapolis Colts have made since drafting Peyton Manning, their legendary quarterback is faced with the most important audible of his career. Before taking a look at a few of his suitors, what should first be debated is whether or not the Colts even made the right decision by letting go of the best thing that ever happened to their franchise. Accepting that the franchise has entered a rebuilding era is a harsh reality to face, but in this case I believe it was a necessary evil. Manning would be owed $28 million if the Colts decided to keep him and honor his contract, which is a huge risk to take as a team that has many holes to fill. While I am sure he is still a great quarterback, the risk associated with his recent neck surgeries and the promising career of likely draft pick Andrew Luck provide the a good opportunity, if there is such a thing, to part ways with Peyton. This move was a necessary evil that will ultimately give the Colts some salary cap space to move on and, ideally, rebuild the franchise to championship form with a guy who has been touted as the next John Elway. The next destination for Peyton is an unsure one, but there are plenty of teams interested that provide different degrees of potential success. Counting down through the presumed final four candidates, and acknowledging some honorable mentions, we may not find where Manning will go, but we will see where he should go.

4. Washington Redskins: The Redskins always seem to be in the race for the biggest names, many of which end up being washed up and ineffective. If Peyton end up in Washington I would immediately fear that Manning has seen the last of his MVP days. I have them as the least desirable destination solely because the organization is a notoriously weak one. The talent is not terrible, but it is not good enough to make up for the mess that typically takes place in D.C. on a weekly basis. The defense is resilient and they have a few decent weapons on offense, but the mediocre talent level combined with head coach Mike Shanahan’s tendency to butt heads with some of his players is enough to discourage just about any prominent free agent. I have to imagine that, of the four highly rumored teams, this is a distant fourth to the remaining three.

3. New York Jets: This move would solve what seems to be the Jets’ biggest weakness right now. Mark Sanchez has continued to defy expectations, and not in a good way. After early success in his career, it has become clear that his resume is much greater than what he actually brings to the table. A few recent articles suggest that this move would actually hurt the Jets’ future. There is a slight degree of truth to this statement considering Sanchez will not likely stick around if they acquire Manning and the Jets will only have a few years of Peyton at the most. In a worst case scenario, he may become another Brett Favre and tank the Jets season after eleven games because of injury related problems. Despite the risk, I think that the Jets should do everything in their power to make this move because I argue that the Jets have no promising “future” without Manning. Outside of Revis, Harris and Keller, the Jets have no players that will definitely be good in five years or so. Their offensive line boasts the league’s best center and an elite blindside tackle but continues to allow more pressure as the season progresses. They are composed of skilled veterans like Bart Scott and underachieving young players like Shonn Greene, which suggests that their best bet is to win now. The team seems to be regressing with this roster, yet people worry about their future if they sell out for Manning. From Peyton’s perspective, however, this move makes less sense. It is a more talented roster than a few other options, but an unstable locker room and a boisterous, defensive minded head coach is not a winning combination for a guy like Peyton, who would rather stability an offensive system that is worthy of his presence. I cannot deny the awesomeness of a Manning vs. Manning, New York vs. New York Super Bowl in the Meadowlands in 2014, but I am not convinced that the Jets locker room and coaching staff is capable of making that happen, even with Peyton Manning.

2. Miami Dolphins: It is a tough toss-up between the top two destinations for Manning, and either would be a great fit. Only a few minor differences keep the Dolphins from being an ideal home. Their roster is only a step behind the Jets and, unlike the Jets, seems to actually be heading in the right direction. Reggie Bush seems to finally understand what it takes to be a franchise running back and I believe that Brandon Marshall and company make up the most underrated receiving core in the league. Watch as no name guys like Hartline and Bess become reincarnations of what Garcon and Collie were to Peyton. Their defense plays hard and with a high draft pick they can add another key player. The only thing that keeps the Dolphins from the top spot in this countdown is the inexperience of new head coach Joe Philbin. If Manning wanted an unproven head coach, he would miss Jim Caldwell considerably more than I am sure he does. The Dolphins have all of the pieces around him and a pretty desperate need for a QB, but even the smallest speed bump would derail a team’s chances when competing with the ideal home for Peyton Manning.

1. Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals have every good and attractive element that the Dolphins have, with some additional benefits. For one thing, Ken Whisenhunt is a proven head coach and offensive genius who has already taken an aging veteran quarterback to a Super Bowl with his new team. Kurt Warner ended the drought in Arizona, making the team relevant again. Peyton Manning has an opportunity to do the same and then some in a stadium with great weather and a retractable roof on the off chance that it rains, which Miami cannot provide. In addition to this, Larry Fitzgerald could reclaim his spot as one of the league’s best receivers, a title that Kevin Kolb has endangered. The Cardinals, if you ask me, can ride their late season momentum into next season, winning seven of their last nine game and defeated both the 49ers and Cowboys in tightly contested battles. The exclamation point of the Arizona appeal is the escape from excessive hype that pollutes both New York and Miami sports. While the Dolphins are a slight favorite for most analysts, Peyton does not strike me as one to take his talents to south beach.

Honorable mentions: If a team like the 49ers or Texans decide to sign Manning despite the fact that they both have good but not great quarterbacks, they basically guarantee a Super Bowl appearance. In my opinion, they are the two teams that can become the best teams in the league with the unnecessary but potentially monumental decision to add an elite quarterback. The Seahawks and Broncos can make some noise but I do not believe that either are talented enough to elevate themselves over some pretty tempting options. The fact that less than about 25 teams are seriously considering this move is just sad because Peyton Manning is one of the few players that immediately makes a bad team into a good team, a good team into a playoff team, and a playoff team into a champion.