While Colts fans continue to debate whether Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck could co-exist in Indy, other cities are pondering the idea of bring in Manning to make one last run.
Peyton hasn’t put on his uniform or even taken a snap in practice all season long, yet the Colts have paid him $26 million.
Could Peyton join the Jets and play opposite his little brother? The back of the NY Daily News.
Jim Irsay and Colts management have a big decision to make — whether or not to keep Manning for the 2012 season and owe him a $28 million bonus — by March 9th.
At this point, I don’t think Manning even knows if he can play another down. He is cleared to run situations after practice, throw the ball and hand the ball off.
The Colts 2011 season will end on New Years Day and from there, the team brass will have about two months to evaluate Manning and decide if he is worth the steep price.
If Indy wins and St. Louis loses Sunday, the top-pick goes to the Rams and a miserable season just gets worst for the Colts. Winning the last three games of the season might be one of the worst and costliest decisions in franchise history.
Should the Colts have the top-pick, Irsay will think long and hard about Manning, Andrew Luck or both. Keeping both is costly and would prevent the team from signing other assets to compliment whoever the quarterback is.
Enter other teams, who would love the chance to see Peyton Manning in their uniform.
The New York Daily News shakes things up today on the back page of their paper. (They even photoshopped Peyton in a Jet uniform!) In his article, columnist Gary Myers discusses the possibility of the New York Jets bringing in Peyton Manning (assuming the Colts don’t pay him his bonus thus releasing him.)
They (Jets) need to shake things up offensively, and bringing in Manning for a season or two would do much more toward getting them to a Super Bowl than firing offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer would.
Eli’s big brother could also help the Jets in their obsession with not being the Giants’ little brother.
Manning, who has missed the entire season after neck-fusion surgery late in the summer — his third neck procedure in 19 months — could be on his way out of Indianapolis if the Colts lose or the Rams win on Sunday, which would secure the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft for Indy. The Colts would surely take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, the best QB prospect since Manning in 1998.
Teaming Luck with Manning is an option for the Colts, but it would be uncomfortable for both of them – Archie Manning said so a couple of weeks ago. “I don’t think it’d necessarily be great for either one,” the elder Manning said.
First-round quarterbacks no longer sit on the bench for a couple of years. There’s a much better chance that the Colts get rid of Manning than pass on Luck.
Enter the Jets.
Ryan idolizes Manning and holds him in higher regard than he does Tom Brady. GM Mike Tannenbaum is extremely aggressive. And Manning, who will turn 36 in March, will surely want his next stop to be with a Super Bowl contender. The Jets are much closer to winning it all than the Redskins, Seahawks, Dolphins, Browns, Chiefs, Broncos or Cardinals, who could all also use a quarterback upgrade.
Another factor: Tom Moore, who was Manning’s offensive coordinator and mentor for almost his entire time with the Colts, has been a Jets offensive consultant this season. His presence could be a big selling point for Manning.
And here is how: Manning signed a new contract right after the lockout. The Colts must decide by March 9 — four days before the start of the 2012 league year — whether to pick up his $28 million option bonus, which is payable in $14 million installments on March 15 of 2013 and 2014. His base salary for 2012 is $7.4 million, meaning the Colts would owe him $35.4 million next year after paying him $26.4 million in 2011 while he sat on the sideline
While it may seem crazy now, Peyton in New York, Washington or another city is a real possibility. It’s hard to imagine because he has given the team and the city of Indianapolis so much, but Jim Irsay and his staff will do what they think is best for the Colts.
Peyton Manning is exactly what the jets need u put him holmes and burress together game over Super Bowl for manning before retirement in 2-3 yrs , sanchez gets a mentor to mature over the next few years , to be worthy of a starting position and Brian Shotenheimer can get lost while manning call the shots saving the jets his payroll and giving them a season or two to search out a shottenheim replacement cause lets be honest the guys shot thats for sure , and the jets need to get that defense bak to the 2010 jets . I couldnt hope for anything more in my lifetime then to be honered as a True Jets fan then to roll out the red carpet for such a great athlete and If not THE Best one of the best QUARTERBACKS of all time !! Im pumped come on Jets pay the man whatever he wants make this happen Ryans the man hell do the right thing and whatever you do dont let go of burress him n peyton will be an unstoppable combination!!!!!! 2012
as a diehard colts fan, the thought of manning leaving is depressing. but.. if he did go, i would love to see him play for the jets. the guys a great qb and the jets have a lot of talent. i think it would be a good pairing. still hoping irsay keeps him in indy for the remainder of his career but i cant help but think of favre, montana and mcnabb leaving the teams they most greatly contributed to.
Irsay said he’s not trading him and Rex said he’s not trading for him so…….
Rex Ryan has to say he’s not interested until peytons contract is up otherwise it’s tampering
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YESS! this needs to happem peyton will def bring a superbowl with the jets. Why not? Holmes, Keller, and burress. His passing threat will help bring our run game back to par and the D. Its a story book ending LT finally gets his ring he deserves,Peyton,Holmes,Burress get their 2nd.