Peyton Manning: Predictions

[woodbuck27]

Hopes rise in Denver that Peyton Manning is heading to the Broncos

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 16, 2012, 10:03 AM EDT
AP

Although the Titans appeared on Thursday to be building momentum in the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, there’s optimism coming out of Denver on Friday morning that Manning is heading to the Broncos.

Mike Klis writes in today’s Denver Post that all signs point to the Broncos and Titans as the final two, with the Cardinals likely resigning themselves to keeping Kevin Kolb and paying his bonus, and the Dolphins starting to turn their attention toward Matt Flynn.

And MileHighReport.com points out that Broncos owner Pat Bowlen’s plane is scheduled to fly to Raleigh, North Carolina, where Manning has been working out, this morning.

That’s the same plane that Broncos front office boss John Elway and head coach John Fox have been flying around in to conduct their offseason business, and the same plane that picked up Manning for his visit to the Broncos’ facilities. Presumably, if Manning were about to join the Broncos, that’s the plane the team would provide Manning to bring him to Denver.

Albert Breer of NFL Network points out that Titans owner Bud Adams’ plane is still in Houston.

So to the extent that we can tell anything by tracking owners’ planes, we can say that Broncos fans have more reason for optimism right now than Titans fans do. And when the best updates we’re getting come from tracking owners’ planes, we can say that we hope Manning is ready to make his mind up already.

[woodbuck27]

Peyton Manning will work out for John Elway today

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 16, 2012, 10:16 AM EDT
Getty Images

Moments after we noted that the Broncos’ plane is on the way to North Carolina, where Peyton Manning has been working out, we know why: John Elway will be there in person to watch one of Manning’s workouts.

From the beginning, it has seemed like a necessity that whatever team wanted to sign Manning would have to watch him throw first: After all, how can a team tie its future to a quarterback without making sure he can actually throw a football effectively? Surprisingly, several reports have said that multiple teams were willing to give Manning a contract without making him throw first.

But the Broncos apparently won’t be in that position. Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports that Elway and other Broncos officials will land at the Raleigh-Durham Airport at 1:20 p.m. today, and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that Manning will work out for the Broncos at Duke University’s indoor facility.

That doesn’t mean the Broncos are going to land Manning.

In fact, according to Mortensen, the Titans are still in the mix.

But this is the strongest sign yet of progress between the Broncos and this year’s most sought-after free agent.

[woodbuck27]

Peyton Manning has made it clear to the Miami Dolphins Organization that he will not sign with them. So one of the four candidate teams has been removed. Leaving Denver,Tennessee and Arizona as possible destinations for his services. It's been looking to me like Denver is the best choice giving their CAP space; but Tennessee has certainly placed themselves in a strong position.

So who will Peyton Manning marry?

Denver is coming hard after him. Tennessee has offered him a lifetime opportunity and Manning knows this community and the team very well having the Titans in his division. His father Archie Manning knows many of the Titans brass from his college and career days. Peyton Manning is adored in Tennessee playing his college ball there. Passionately it looks like the Titans should sign him but will their contract offer be there money wise?

Arizona hasn't been ruled out at this time as Miami was reported to be today.

Which of these three teams in Peyton Manning's mind will offer him the best opportunity for a Super Bowl ring?

It's all very interesting to me.

Ona nother note:

Miami is saying that no matter what PM decided they wanted to move WR Brandon Marshall. So we now can be clear that that trade by Miami ( Brandon Marshall ) to the Bears was not influenced by Peyton Manning.

[mraynrand]

Update: Titan's offer of a 'contract for life' for Peyton Manning turns out to be a contract for as long as Bud Adams is alive. Most NFL experts see this at best as a two year deal. ouch.

[swede]

Update: Titan's offer of a 'contract for life' for Peyton Manning turns out to be a contract for as long as Bud Adams is alive. Most NFL experts see this at best as a two year deal. ouch.

Update update: The "Contract for Life" deal may be off the table after an aide, speaking clearly into Bud Adam's ear trumpet, finally made the octogenarian aware that it was Peyton Manning and not Archie Manning who had become a free agent.

[Fritz]

If Bud Adams gets this contract worked out with Peyton Manning, then Bud Adams will also have a lifetime position: bent over.

[woodbuck27]

If Bud Adams gets this contract worked out with Peyton Manning, then Bud Adams will also have a lifetime position: bent over.

Ohh NO !! (-: X 10

[Upnorth]

On a warm summer's evening, on a train bound for nowhere...

So does anyone else think what ever team lands Manning is taking a huge gamble? Three neck injuries with two operations (I believe) says one hit from retirement to me.

[woodbuck27]

On a warm summer's evening, on a train bound for nowhere...

So does anyone else think what ever team lands Manning is taking a huge gamble? Three neck injuries with two operations (I believe) says one hit from retirement to me.

Yes. Get him to throw 40-50 pass's to whichever receiver. So what!

Get him to throw a few while taking some solid socks and then assess him. I don't supose Peyton Manning would agree to that. Would he? (-:

He may have or almost have all that veloscity back. be able to make al those impresive throws that we're familiar with seeing but watch him walk.

Knock him down and watch him get up and watch him walk. Do that exercise a few times. Then repeat that exercise with contact half a dozen times over a 40 minute period.

Watch him walk.

Yaa! Maybe? Hire and fly in ' Big Boob Warren Sapp' to put a few licks on him to see how well he walks.

NO !! Peyton wouldn't allow that would he? (-:

[woodbuck27]

(Reports off NFL Access say) the Denver Broncos are getting set to observe Peyton Manning work out at DUKE University.

It's now 1:55 PM EDT

[woodbuck27]

49ers jump into the Peyton Manning sweepstakes

Posted by Evan Silva on March 16, 2012, 2:18 PM EDT
Getty Images
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the San Francisco 49ers have emerged as one of the three finalists to sign free agent quarterback Peyton Manning.

The other two teams are the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans. According to Schefter, the Arizona Cardinals “have been advised that they are to proceed as if they will not get Peyton Manning.”

We already knew the Dolphins were out.

Schefter, who broke the 49ers news on SportsCenter early Friday afternoon, reported that San Francisco secretly sent club officials to watch Manning throw at Duke University last Tuesday night.

The 49ers’ representatives were said to be “very impressed with what they saw.”

The Niners have already given Manning a physical.

And this explains whey they haven’t re-signed free agent quarterback Alex Smith yet.

[woodbuck27]

Peyton parameters in range of $60 million over five years

Posted by Mike Florio on March 16, 2012, 2:31 PM EDT

Getty Images

Now that Peyton Manning seems to be getting closer to a decision (which may or may not be televised by ESPN), the numbers are coming into focus.

Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports that the parameters of a potential contract fall in the range of $60 million over five years, with $30 million guaranteed.

That seems a little light. Yes, he has the neck thing and the arm strength thing. But this is Peyton F. Manning.

Peyton F. Manning doesn’t average $12 million a year, not when he was averaging $18 million under his last deal, the same average that Tom Brady still has.

And now we may know why it’s taken so long to get this done.

The teams at the table, though supposedly willing to do whatever it takes to get Peyton, have not yet offered him a contract that reflects the zeal with which they are pursuing him.

With the rest of the league on notice regarding the parameters, the pool could once again expand.

Jed York, it’s your move.

[woodbuck27]

Comment woodbuck27: Now we are back to three teams as PM suitors:

DENVER, TENNESSEE and SAN FRANCISCO (in late).



Cardinals are paying Kevin Kolb’s $7 million roster bonus

Posted by Evan Silva on March 16, 2012, 3:43 PM EDT
AP


ESPN’s Suzy Kolber reports that the Arizona Cardinals have decided to pay quarterback Kevin Kolb’s $7 million offseason roster bonus.



**** The decision formally removes Arizona from the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. ****



The Cardinals didn’t have to turn the move into the league office. It’s not a transaction.

They’ll simply allow time to elapse without releasing Kolb, and pay the bonus on Saturday.

Arizona’s front office apparently never considered parting with Kolb in the event they missed on Manning. Fingers crossed, they will hope a full offseason in the system helps Kolb work out his kinks.

More practice and study time probably aren’t going to cure Kolb’s penchant for getting happy feet and making himself small in the pocket, however, and to this point in his career those tendencies have prevented him from sustaining success.

Kolb will compete for the Cardinals’ starting quarterback job with John Skelton in training camp.

[woodbuck27]

Peyton Manning wants his new contract to match his old contract

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 16, 2012, 3:53 PM EDT
Getty Images

When we passed along the report from the Denver Post that Peyton Manning was seeking a five-year, $60 million contract, Florio noted that it seemed a little light.

That’s because it was.

Mike Klis of the Denver Post has now updated his report and said that what Manning is actually seeking is a contract like the one he signed last year with the Colts, which was for five years and $90 million, with a whopping $61.8 million in the first two years.

That’s a whole lot of money, but Klis writes that both the Broncos and Titans are fine with that contract, if that’s what it takes to land Manning. If the reports that the 49ers are the third finalist for Manning are true, presumably that means the 49ers are fine with that contract, too.

Some reports have suggested that Manning’s contract will be structured to protect the team that signs him in the event that his neck prevents him from playing in 2012, as it did in 2011.

But if Manning is back in the NFL this year, as he expects to be, he also expects to be one of the league’s highest-paid players. And the teams that covet him are fine with that.

[woodbuck27]

Whisenhunt confirms Cardinals are out of the mix for Manning

Posted by Evan Silva on March 16, 2012, 5:09 PM EDT
AP

The Arizona Cardinals seemed like an excellent fit when Peyton Manning hit unrestricted free agency last week. They have a top-three NFL receiver, an up-and-coming running game and defense, and a retractable-roof stadium in one of the league’s weaker divisions.

Manning confirmed his interest in Arizona by paying a visit to Cardinals headquarters last weekend. But it didn’t work out.

“Regarding today’s developments and our quarterback position, acquiring Peyton Manning is no longer an option for us,” Whisenhunt confirmed, referring to Friday’s decision to pay Kevin Kolb’s $7 million roster bonus.

“Since the end of last season, we made it very clear that our plan was to head into 2012 with Kevin Kolb and John Skelton, let the process play out and — like at every position — go with the quarterback who gives us the best chance to win.

“Obviously something very unique and unexpected presented itself. We’ve said it many times: If there’s an opportunity to make our team better, we’ll explore it. … In the end, it didn’t work out, but from our perspective it was very positive and we certainly don’t have any regrets about it.”