One of the hottest topics and biggest questions of the offseason in the NFL is where will Peyton Manning be when the 2012-2013 season comes around, there is still no answer to this question, however debate is constant on this topic. His health is one of the biggest concerns for the Indianapolis Colts, and another possible reason he could be out of Indy is because the Colts have the number one overall pick in the draft and it looks like QB Andrew Luck will be that pick. So if Peyton is to be traded or released the question becomes where he will be next season. Here is a list of teams I think would be interested in him:
Washington Redskins: Dan Snyder is known for going after big names in the NFL, evident in the signing of Haynesworth, and trading for Donovan McNabb, so it would only make sense to see this team as a potential landing spot. With Washington I think it would be a trade that lands Peyton here, the only problem is that Peyton is due a $28 million dollar roster bonus that will count against the salary cap for Indy, this is due before trades can take place. Peyton has said that he would not take that 28 million if it meant staying on the team, but that does not mean he will not be traded if he does not take the bonus. The reason why Peyton would be traded here is because Dan Snyder would easily pay a pretty penny to get a big name on his team, my guess is 2 first round draft picks, one from this year and one from the next draft, and possibly a 2nd round pick from this year’s draft. This would be great for Indy because they can build around Andrew Luck if they are (and it looks very certain they will) going to take him number one overall. The issue for Washington is that they will not have much to do in the draft over a course of the next few years, and if Peyton does not work out so well then Washington will have lost talent for the future. So in a safer case Washington should trade their 1st and 2nd round picks from this year and then add on an additional first round pick from next year’s draft if Peyton is to meet expectations. Another problem in this situation is that the Redskins have had a problem with quarterbacks in recent years, Jason Campbell did not work out, John Beck has yet to win a game in the NFL, and Rex Grossman, well I think his name speaks for itself. Peyton if healthy has a few years left, the Redskins should hope for a good 4 or 5 years, but there will be an issue of Peyton does not have that many years left because the Redskins will have to turn to someone else, and Peyton is a QB that needs an offense built around him. That’s not to say that it will be hard for someone else to pick the offensive playbook but it will make it difficult, but Washington is taking a risk if they are to trade for him. Signing him will not be as bad, but trading could cost their franchise key pieces to build a winning team.
Seattle Seahawks: This is a good suitor, they had a solid and underrated defense last year, their run game is phenomenal with Marshawn Lynch, and a receiving corp that could work well with Peyton at the helm. Sidney Rice will have to stay healthy in order to really help Peyton in Seattle, and the offensive line will have to play great as well, last year they were better than the season prior when Hasselbeck was the starter. Peyton will give Seattle a great leader and somebody with a great work ethic, not to mention a very accurate QB. Tavaris Jackson showed some glimpses of being a solid starter last year, but his inconsistency is an issue, and Charlie Whitehurst is not the answer at all, to say the least. The Seahawks are more likely to sign him then to trade for him, Pete Carroll is a coach that I feel Peyton would get along great with; he is a player’s coach. The only downside to this is that the offense will have to change to work around Peyton, and Tavaris will be behind him learning, so if Peyton does not work out Tavaris will once again have to learn a new playbook, and looking back in history QBs that are drafted high have issues when having to change offenses time and time again.
Arizona Cardinals: Two words for why Peyton would love playing in the desert, Larry Fitzgerald, and what better a reason for him to play there than that. Arizona caught fire towards the end of this past season after a sluggish start, so it’s not like Peyton will be walking into a situation that may not be best for him. He will have Beanie Wells behind him who had a thousand yard season, and only in fourteen games played, which gives Peyton a solid running back and an excellent number one receiver with an elite caliber set of skills in Larry Fitzgerald. Peyton will also being playing at least 9 games in a dome, 8 at home and then 1 in St. Louis, he will also play in San Francisco which hopefully will be a warm game when he plays. While it would not be the Colts it will be a dome none the less, and the only real competition he will face in the division will be the 49ers, the Rams are still rebuilding, and the Seahawks are way to inconsistent. The downside to this is that Kolb is also on the team and he is under a big sized contract, and obviously there is a reason he is out in AZ, because the Cardinals like him a lot, as well as Fitzgerald. If Peyton was to join this team Kolb would have to learn a new offense, and then once Peyton is gone, learn another one, which could be an issue for the Cardinals. Peyton will of course not go anywhere without making top dollar it would seem due to his talents, which would harm AZ because in that event they would not be able to go out and get all the players they could get to build a better team.
Miami Dolphins: It has been a very long time since the Dolphins have had a QB that is a great leader and fantastic starter since the days of Dan Marino, and Peyton is that guy they have been looking for all along. No matter who they get in South Beach they do not work out, and the team has been awful in the red zone year in and year out as of late, settling for field goals instead of touchdowns. Peyton will bring a large football IQ with him and will instantly make that offense better, and he will have the guys around to help. Both Peyton and WR Brandon Marshall will benefit from one another, and Reggie Bush had his first 1,000 yard season, and 5.0 yards per carry average. The Dolphins could then either bring in a new QB to sit behind Peyton and learn or keep Matt Moore and let him learn behind Peyton as well because Peyton is a football genius. I think Peyton will spark this team and lead them to a few great seasons if he is health, and it is an added bonus that he will be playing in the warm state of Florida, and while it is not a dome it is still better than playing in freezing condition. For a quarterback who just had numerous neck surgeries and played in a dome warm weather is perfect. The downside as mentioned with all other teams is that an offense will need to be built around him and it is uncertain if another QB can pick that up, however get a QB in the draft and let him sit 3 years behind Peyton that would not be so bad, even Matt Moore could possibly do the same. I think this is the best fit for Peyton myself.
New York Jets: I could see Peyton landing here, mainly due to Mark Sanchez and his often erratic playing in New York. While NY is a great place for Peyton because he likes being in the spot light, I think the locker room and coaching staff could be an issue. Last year the Jets self-destructed towards the end of the end of the season, the offense did not get along and the running game just was not there, and Sanchez played poorly. For a QB who has always had command of a team with a heavy passing attack and friendly locker room and coach to go to a team with a coach with a big mouth and a team that did not gel well together last season would not be good. Rex also wants to get back to ground and pound, and that will most likely not sit well with Peyton because he wants to throw it around, not be a game manager because he is far more advanced the Sanchez. The offensive line play was also poor last year, and Peyton is not mobile, and with a neck that has been operated on numerous times this will be an issue if Peyton is to go to the Jets. Another problem is that Sanchez struggled in the offense he was in, so to bring in g QB that needs an offense built around him and then put Sanchez in that offense then switch it up would not be of benefit. Also if Peyton plays 3 years in NY Sanchez will have 6 years under his belt, 3 on the bench, and for a person who was selected number 5 overall that is not for the best either, that is an expensive bench player. To me this is the last place Peyton would end up or even want to play for that matter.
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