What if Peyton Manning became a free agent?
Peyton Manning is a company man, a team player, and an all around likable guy, so why would he even think about not renewing his contract? For starters, let’s look at leadership. For seven years straight, the Indianapolis Colts were led by Tony Dungy and for seven years straight, they went to the playoffs every year.
Last season, Jim Caldwell took over after Dungy retired and the Colts were on the verge of completing a perfect 16-0 regular season. That is until week 14 when Caldwell decided it was best to sit his starters in preparation for the postseason. In spite of the loss, Manning the consummate company man said that he backed the coach’s decision. But that loss had to burn and when the Colts lost the super bowl, surely Manning had at least one question about Caldwell.
In this case of leadership, Jim Caldwell isn’t the only person Peyton Manning is thinking about. Of course he has to be thinking about his contract which would mean Bill Polian is on his mind too. The same Polian that calls an 18 game season “a fait accompli.” Considering the workhorse that Manning is already, how happy can he be about that same effort for 2 more regular games? So it would only stand to reason that the ill chosen words of his team president would also factor into any potential unrest he may have.
Of course 2-2 is only a setback in an NFL season of 16 games, but what is running through your mind when you’re the best asset your team has and you know your team wins with your arm? Three times this season, Manning has attempted over 40 passes and two of those occasions were games Indianapolis lost. In the first 3 games, Peyton threw 3 TD’s and in Sunday’s loss to Jacksonville, he still managed 2 TD’s. So the losses are not for the lack of a superhuman effort on his part.
Some of you hear the word parity thrown around every other week by the NFL media, but you might have never thought of how much a free agent Peyton Manning would change the game. First, Indianapolis would go from a perennial playoff contender to a team resembling the Cleveland Browns (no offense Browns fans).
This season, the Colts are 27th in rushing averaging 3.2 yards a carry. They’re 25th in total defense allowing their opponents 367 yards of offense and an average of 23 points a game.
Allow me to put that into perspective…the St. Louis defense only allows an average of 13 points a game. If Indianapolis lost Peyton, not only would they stay at the bottom of the AFC South heap, but Houston would largely be considered the heir to the Colts’ former throne of the division champ.
Thinking about a free agent Peyton Manning yet? Where would he go? We could easily rule out teams that have a franchise QB which takes care of New England, NYG, Dallas, Green Bay, Atlanta, New Orleans, San Diego, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. We can also rule out any AFC South team, and any team that doesn’t have the salary cap space for Peyton (this includes big spending NYJ).
This does leave speculation for teams like Arizona who already have the offensive weapons in place for Peyton, and teams like San Francisco, Miami and Minnesota all have a serious running threat which only takes the hero load off Manning’s shoulders.
So yes, Indianapolis still holds the rights to Peyton Manning, but by not doing anything to address their hideous problems on defense, special teams, and by not having a serious rushing offense, they’re doing everything possible to make Peyton Manning the NFL’s most dangerous free agent.
About Garrett Rogers
I understand that being inflamatory is more or less a requirement to be a sports writer nowadays, but i can’t read an article like this without pointing out some glaring flaws in your reasoning.
-Trust? If there is anyone PM trusts more than Tony Dungy it would be Jim Caldwell. Or did you forget that he has been PM’s position coach since Dungy came to the Colts? And this is the same man that PM endorsed on multiple occasions as a head coach, and probably got him his job. While PM may be a company man to a point, he’s no traitor.
-Would PM really want to play for a team that focused on running the ball? PM is a player who tries to get better at HIS game everyday. He has the perfect counterpart in Joe Addai – a RB with no ego who knows his job is as much pass protection as runing the ball. If anything, the running game suffers because teh OL is built to PROTECT PM. Would he go somewhere where that isn’t the OL’s priority. Um, no.
-Even if PM was a completely selfish prick only worried about his stats legacy, why would he leave Indy? He is well on track to becoming the second best QB-WR duo in the game with Reggie Wayne (2nd to PM and Marvin Harrison) and QB-TE with Dallas Clark. Why would he go to a team that wasn’t pass first with the incredible receiving threats he has in Indy? And they are staying young too. Austin Collie would have been a shoe-in for Offensive ROY honors if voters weren’t clouded by Harvin’s special teams ability.
The clincher is Jim Irsay. Short of making PM a co-owner, he will do everything to ensure Manning stays put in Indy. You can fantasize about his ‘free agency’ all you want, but he is staying put. One thing PM is before anything else – a student of the game. You think he didn’t learn a thing or two from LeBron’s Decision?
What's going on Jake?
First, I'm not trying to be inflammatory, but I am raising a question about a possible scenario. I have one question for you right now. We both know that Peyton is Indy's most important asset, so why hasn't he gotten a blockbuster contract already? Even pouty Tom Brady got his already.
As far as Peyton wanting to get better at his craft, I couldn't agree more. He's the prototype QB which makes him all the more appetizing to any other team in need of an exceptional QB. As far as the receiving threats, Peyton would have similar options in San Francisco, Minnesota, Arizona & Miami.
The main reasons I raised the question is because in light of this superior player, his RB, his defensive front and his secondary performs poorly in supporting him. The Colts are beginning to play less like a team and more like Manning & his backups. So why wouldn't his competitive side think about going to a team that has a better supporting cast.
Manning probably won't leave, but even for an Indy fan like you, it's something to think about considering that loyalty is a fickle thing in the NFL.
I couldn't AGREE with you more!!! He isn't going to give them up for anyone else and I definitely don't think they would EVER let him go that easily!!
Let me say that I am a big-time Colts fan, long-time season ticket holder & someone who thinks about this stuff way too much.
Garrett, you read my mind…twice!
#1 – For many years, I have said "Without Peyton, the Colts instantly become the Browns."
#2 – As for Peyton being an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, I never thought twice about it…until this week. And now I am really scared that #18 will leave for these reasons:
- Irsay & Polian said they wanted to sign Peyton to an extension & to the biggest contract ever before the season began. It didn't happen. Maybe Peyton didn't want to sign yet because he is not sure he wants to stay.
- Reggie Wayne's contract is up at the end of the season too.
- The Colts have had an up & down D for years but Houston, Denver & Jacksonville all dominated the D– & this is against the easy part of the schedule.
- The running game & special teams continue to be mediocre at best.
- Moore isn't calling the plays anymore, Mudd retired, Caldwell seems comatose on the sidelines except when he wakes up long enough to call a stupid timeout which leads directly to a key division loss. And he still doesn't realize how dumb it was.
- GM Polian may be known as the best in the game but they simply do not have championship-caliber talent at all positions anymore. The Super Bowl XLI roster with OL's Glenn/Scott/Lilja, RB Rhodes, HoF WR Harrison, TE Fletcher, DT's McFarland/Brock, LB's June/Morris, DB's Harper/Jackson have been replaced by LESS PRODUCTIVE PLAYERS AT ALL POSITIONS.
Lots of people have predicted that the Colts excellent run of 12+ win seasons is about to come to an end. What if they end up being a .500 team or have another disappointing playoff flameout?
Isn't it possible that Peyton will do just what LeBron did– wait until the season is over to take a close, unemotional look at his teammates, his coaches, team management & decide that his best chance to win another ring or two is elsewhere??? I'm the biggest Colts fan around but even I realize that many other teams could surround #18 with better talent than here in Indy. And maybe his buddy Reggie Wayne would go with him (remember, the Colts told him to shut up & play when he asked to re-do his contract this summer).
Even before reading your article, I went through the league & came up with Minnesota & Miami as possible suitors. My money would be on Minnesota– especially if they trade for Moss. Sure, they would have to jump through hoops to work out these big contracts but could you imagine an offense of Manning, Moss, Wayne & Peterson (a real-life best Fantasy team ever) to go along with their strong D???
What's up Scott,
If Peyton ever went to Minnesota, even with me being a diehard Dallas fan, I would think my team's chances for making it to the Super bowl would be pushed back a few years…well, except for the issue that Childress seems more like a kid who was given the keys to a Porsche than a grown coach with a superteam. But if Peyton called the shots the way it seems Favre calls the shots, then the Vikings would be almost unbeatable.
I'm really trying to understand why Polian & Irsay haven't built up the team's weaknesses anymore. I understand that as long as Peyton's holding the ball, everything seems right, but you can't get lost in the utopia that is Peyton's perfect pitch and ignore the gaping atrocities in the other aspects of the team.
For the Colts' fans sake, hopefully Manning & Wayne will get their contract extensions by season's end. Otherwise, I fear for Polian's & Irsay's safety.
News out of Indy on October 24…
Peyton Manning's contract issue won't be resolved before season's end.
Manning, the Colts' four-time Most Valuable Player and 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback, has informed the team through his agent, Tom Condon, that he "will not discuss or negotiate a new contract until after the 2010 season," Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported Sunday.