Manning Reportedly Signs with Broncos
It's being tweeted by Chris Mortenson and Adam Schefter, and Bleacher is also reporting that Peyton is all but signed up to continue his career with the Broncos. Certainly John Elway and Peyton have a lot in common, and playing for a team with a superstar HOF quarterback is good karma. And Elway is not bad either. See what I did there?
Ironically he's going to play for another team with a horse for a mascot. The AFC West is pretty weak, so we should see him in the playoffs repeatedly. Will be nice to see him stomp the Chargers year after year.
Depending on what other articles appear on here, I hope to break down which receivers they have and should have for Peyton.
Jeff Saturday is also rumored in talks with the Broncos, and there are some that think Dallas Clark will head that way. It could be the Colts reunion over there, except for Peter the Waiter.
All in all, not a bad place for him to land. I wish him luck! And I wish us Luck!
- The Monkey
There it is:
"He will be paid $20 million in both the 2013 and '14 seasons if he passes a team physical to be given 10 days before the start of the 2013 league year. There is an injury waiver included in the contract, however, covering Manning's surgically repaired neck. If he re-injures the neck during the 2013 season, the Broncos will not have to pay his 2014 salary."
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What I've heard...
Denver made the money offer the first meeting. Elway wanted Manning and went all in with him. (Manning has said all along that he will be reasonable, so there is no way this decision was made based on money. You can rest assured that the guaranteed money will be very reasaonable and the Broncos will be very well protected.)
Peyton has already passed physicals by the Broncos and 49ers.
Peyton was telling teams due to his rehab schedule, he wanted to run his offense. The 49ers and Titans wanted him to learn their offense, but the Broncos were willing to hand him the keys.
Whereas, the 49ers did seem to make a lot of sense, I really believe this came down to Elway. Elway went all in from the beginning. He sold himself that he won Super Bowls late in his career and will do everything possible to make sure Peyton has what he needs to be successful. Hall of Fam QBs understand each other. Peyton just coulded turn down someone who will know exactly what he is thinking.
@DougEngland It makes sense, DougEngland, and I agree with what you´re saying. I think Peyton also passed a Titans´ physical, to be exact. So do you like his choice?
@Goéland I emailed Nate after the decision that a small part of me was hoping that Peyton would pick the Titans, just so Nate would still be covering him.
But like you said in a previous post, I trust Peyton. I just want him to be healthy and happy. And although the 49ers did seem to give him a great chance to win big immediately... I do believe that Manning, Elway, Fox and lots of cap space will make the Broncos very competitive for years to come.
And even though I was skeptical at first, I really have come to believe that wanting to be in a different conference than his brother, was a big factor.
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@Goéland @DougEngland OK, as soon as PfP signs in, I'm going to call the first meeting of the Peyton For Life fan club to order.
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I trust Peyton. When the process began, I thought the Broncos were the best fit, far more than the Cards, the Fins, or any other team that had made its interest known. When it became known the 49ers were in the mix, I kind of wavered. I like the fact his three finalists were Denver, SF and Tennessee, anyway. It shows the perfect blend of fanatical determination to win football games and personal considerations. So today, before the news broke out, I wondered if I wanted him to sign with SF or Denver. It would have sounded more promising, more glorious, perhaps, if he had chosen the Niners, but I´m not fearful at all.
First of all, amidst all the great things SF promised, there were some voices that suggested there could be a clash between Manning and Harbaugh over control of the offense. I don´t know how accurate this was, but what I do know is that immediately after Peyton´s first visit with the Broncos, all articles highlighted he would be offered complete control of the offense, and that tidbit I never saw in any article about the 49ers´ courtship.
But most of all, I trust Peyton. His attention to details is so extreme I´m pretty sure he had at least 100 criteria to vet suitors, another 100 criteria with which to evaluate serious contenders, and 100 ideas about how to his new team could be improved, and how feasible this was. So if he chose Denver, it must mean he felt it was the best fit, and I believe it. The only thing I´ve been a bit dubious about since the beginning of his free agency is the depth of the WR corps in Denver, but seeing how much cap space Denver has, I consider it realistic they´ll go after Mike Wallace, and Dallas Clark, who also sounds like a realistic bet at this point, would be a good security blanket.
@Goéland Wallace and Thomas deep with Decker and Clark (or Tamme?) working the underneath stuff? That could be really, really good.
I thought SF was the ideal pick too, but with Denver a close second. Factor in the relative strength of NFC vs AFC and the path to the SB could be almost the same. Good points about his control of the offense -- every article I've read so far suggests that the Broncos' coaches will change everything to suit Manning, and that they'll make a serious run at guys like Saturday and Clark. In a story last week about Manning's meetings with them, it specifically said he talked to Elway about their cap status and roster, with the implication that he might even have "input" on such things.
I trust Peyton, too, of course. I think chose the team that will let him do everything his way. Coincidentally, I lived in Colorado for the last few years of Elway's career... I trust him to do everything he can to make it happen.
@pierrezombie You know, if Elway, who knows a thing or two about arm strength and the QB position, decided HIS team needed to go all in on Peyton, there must already be a deep trust there between Peyton and him. This to me makes the Broncos a better fit, just because of the stability it will mean, and we all know that 18 (I almost cried a tear in relief knowing the Broncos would unretire the number for him, by the way, so thanks for sharing the news) thrives like a plant under the sun when stability is the motto. I´m cautiously, but sincerely happy about this (the caution comes from my anxiety born of an absolute desire to see Peyton win and win more titles, which we know is never guaranteed).
@pierrezombie Truer words have never been spoken, my friend. Seriously, I think that for us, the thought about Peyton never playing again (because of the way it ended) feels like the stars being permanently muted, and for him, never playing again must feel like never drinking water again.
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@Goéland I'm probably way too glass-totally-full on this, but to me the contract is proof that he's going to play again. He's my all time favorite player in any sport, and there were a few months there where everyone in the know seemed to be hinting that "sources close to the team" didn't think that could happen. That doubt took a toll.
I'd love to see him win another ring -- as much as anything in my NFL fandom -- but even if he just gets out there, does the chicken dance, puts up finger horns on the sides of his helmet, yells "Omaha!" and hands the ball off to McGahee, to me that's a much better universe than the one in which he retires a Colt, broken and still wondering why Caldwell called that timeout.
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NFL Sunday Ticket: $299.95
Seeing every down Peyton F. Manning plays next season: Priceless.
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Rumors are saying it's a 5-year, $95MM deal. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/report-peyton-manning-decides-denver-broncos-160122984.html;_ylt=AjMrIYljanSF2TnbC3sYMvA5nYcB
That is just batfuck insane. Last year Peyton signed a deal for 5 years and $90MM. Now he's another year older and he's had at least one additional surgery and somehow he's worth an extra million a year? I know the salary cap is supposed to explode next year but this still feels robbery without a gun.
I'm starting to feel about Peyton the way I feel about Albert Pujols. I love both those guys but if somebody has to pay them all that money when they're 41, I'm glad it's not my team.
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@squirrel If more than a third of that money is guaranteed, in the final deal, I'll eat my caldwell-signed colts hat
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@naptown_ninja @squirrel The fact the 49ers were serious about him tells me his health status must be very, very close to ironclad. They wouldn´t have taken the risk to pursue him this weekend after the secret workout and brave Smith´s displeasure unless there was no doubt whatsoever he would play like Peyton Freaking Manning. I mean, the Broncos without 18, or the Titans for that matter, aren´t prohibitive Superbowl contenders anyway, so big risk big reward from them would have made sense, but not from a club that finished in the NFL conference game.
And a healthy Peyton Manning is worth any kind of money. Look at the deal Megatron got, and how it´s impacting Drew Brees´ contract. The essential parts of an explosive aerial game have turned into a disproportionate factor in winning games, and the financial aspects are starting to reflect that with the same abandon.
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@squirrel @naptown_ninja @Goéland On the subject of old, semi-broken quarterbacks, I've got three words for you: Montana. Elway. Favre.
If I'm a Broncos fan -- scratch that -- now that I'm a Broncos fan (again), I'll take any of them over another year of the Tebow experiment, or "a clue where the club is going".
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@squirrel @pierrezombie @naptown_ninja I disagree. Tebow was never going to be the long-term answer, and Elway clearly had no intention to surrender his team to evangelicals and their poster boy. This provides Denver with everything they needed to aspire to football greatness. Fans who don´t recognize that are like those Indy fans who wanted Addai cut in 2008, then Brown in 2010, and Polian dragged on its knees toward the train station every offseason. You respectfully answer them, but you don´t engage them. You certainly don´t answer to them.
And as far what Indy can expect in terms of QB contracts a few years down the line, I think it´s a good problem for teams to have to decide how much money they´ll get to an elite QB. It´s how you structure it that makes or breaks your team, and now that Polian´s gone, Indy fans are in the dark about how good our new regime will be at that.
@naptown_ninja @Goéland @squirrel Seriously, I think "the forest of potential rings" is what every fan in Denver is thinking about this afternoon. (Or, at least, those who follow the team for football, and not it's biblical overtones.)
Even if it goes wrong with Manning and tanks their cap for multiple seasons, if I'm them, I still say go for it. They just lived through the Josh McDaniels era. Tebowmania was fun, but a freaking side show. It's been a long time since Elway helicoptered them to the championship, but not so long that they can't remember how it tastes.
@pierrezombie @naptown_ninja @Goéland Actually if Peyton's recovery plateaus again and he never takes the field for Denver then he's a bold gamble that didn't pay off. Fans can live with a gamble.
The worst that can happen is "Denver gonna Denver". They battle for the top of their very winnable division AGAIN only to implode down the stretch AGAIN. Only this time they pay north of $20 million for the privilege after they cut ties with a very popular young QB prospect.
The fan base in Indy always knew that they would say goodbye to Peyton someday. The fan base in Denver did that back when Elway retired and has been hoping for a new franchise QB ever since. 14 years is a long time to wait. If the Peyton experiment falls short of the Tebow experiment, it's not going to make the fans there feel like anyone in the front office has a clue where the club is going.
We all love Peyton but let's be honest, he's a 36-year-old QB with nerve damage. Pray that Indy never gets to the point where we're all ecstatic about paying a guy like that $19MM a year.
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@pierrezombie I just hope my hamster doesn´t develop an addiction watching all that Paint´ dry.
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@pierrezombie @Goéland @squirrel yeah if all you really have to lose is tebow, how could you go wrong? I was so busy contemplating the contract tree, I missed the forest of potential rings.
@naptown_ninja @pierrezombie @squirrel In my case, since I really think his health will be an almost non-issue, and knowing he offered to draw a contract based purely on incentives, I´d offer a 25 million guarantee. That´s a full year, and I agree with pierrezombie´s point that it´s logical Denver sees on the field what they´ve got with Peyton. Oh, and ColPaintOvsky is the name of my new hamster. Love it.
@naptown_ninja @Goéland @squirrel If I was in a bidding war with at least two other teams to get him, including one whose nutty old owner was talking about adding in partial ownership of the team on a handshake? I'd guarantee him as much as he asked for.
Then again, maybe that's why I'm a web developer and not an NFL GM.
But the key difference between this contract and what Irsay would have had to sign off on two weeks ago -- if I'm right about it containing another opt-out clause -- is the Broncos will get to see him play for an entire season before committing to the longer term cap hit. If they're only guaranteeing the amount that Irsay just paid Manning last year to rehab while ColPaintOvsky stunk up the joint, what's really to lose? The rights to Tim 47% Tebow?
@pierrezombie @Goéland @squirrel I think we agree that Manning was worth 90 mil a year ago, and still is this year. If you were Elway and both sides agreed that 5 for 95 was a good place to start, how much would YOU guarantee? Less than Irsay was willing before the surgeries? More since you're confident in the prognosis? BTW you had me at "MORE RINGS"
@naptown_ninja @Goéland @squirrel
OK, ninja, but let's say it's essentially the same deal he signed with the Colts last year, including the one year opt-out. At worst, the Broncos repeat what the Colts just went through, minus the anguish of a fan base that loved him for 13+ years. At best, more rings. MORE RINGS!
Also, as PeytonforPresident has detailed here at length, most of the medical info says another fusion or related injuries for Manning are unlikely.
If any QB can go out on any play (especially vs. a Gregg Williams defense), I'd prefer to go all in on one of the great ones any day over the likes of Tim Tebow or Kyle Orton.
@Goéland @naptown_ninja @squirrel Much as I hate to admit it, NE proved last year that you can go a long way with spending very little on defense. Why not spend it on a potentially (I think very likely) elite QB?
@Goéland @squirrel Ironclad until the next fusion surgery sidelines him, or the bone spurs cause so much pain that they require a procedure. I agree with your lager point though. A quality passing attack = wins, and is worth all kinds of money. I only wonder how much is appropriate to guarantee, given Manning's age and health concerns.
@squirrel But none of the details are even signed yet, let alone reported. How much do you want to bet it has a carbon-copy of the one year opt-out clause that Irsay just used?
And how is it robbery if three different 7-Eleven's were all begging to be the alleged victim?
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@naptown_ninja Absolutely. I suspect many here will either disagree or not care, but I think Jim Irsay just dodged the biggest bullet of his life.
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@pierrezombie @naptown_ninja And this makes it pretty clear Peyton was never motivated by the desire to stick it to the Colts.
@Goéland McGahee tweet: “To all my free agents across the nfl, I think u know what time it is. It’s about to go down…”
OK, I'm on board!
@pierrezombie I´ve rooted for him ever since his devastating injury at the end of his college career. He´s my Shaun Livingston of the NFL. Eric Foster is a Colt, so it´s not the same.
@Goéland Good point. The last thing he'd want is a coaching staff giving practice snaps to Locker, or to have a "QB controversy" the first time he throws three picks in a game. Also, hard to imagine him having a lot of faith in Chris Johnson after last season.
@Goéland I still see him in a Ravens uniform -- I'll get over it. Other than that, run like hell, Willis!
@pierrezombie @naptown_ninja I think it´s pretty clear Tennessee would have been more of a sentimental choice. In pure football terms, the Titans are farther away from contention than even the Cards, I think. And frankly, even on an emotional level, I can understand his rejection of the Titans´ offer. Tebow is an investment of the past regime, while Locker reflects the hope of the current Titans brass. Tebow has proven he is not a true NFL QB, while the jury is still very much out on Locker. I think choosing the Titans would thus have wasted far more of his new team´s resources than choosing Denver does.
@Goéland Hmm... so now I get to (have to?) root for the bizarre combination of Del Rio, Willis McGahee and Champ Bailey? This might take some time...
@Goéland @naptown_ninja Schefter said it came down to Denver #1, SF #2 and TN a distant #3. It'll be really interesting if Manning ever comments on whether avoiding the division was a factor in his choice -- probably unlikely. But clearly he didn't go out of his way to hurt the Colts.
Uh oh. Scanning the Broncos' transactions log, here's a little speed bump on Manning's path to another SB:
January 27, 2012: Named Jack Del Rio defensive coordinator.
@pierrezombie Jags always had a decent defense, their problem was that defense doesn't actually win rings. Like Jim Caldwell, JDR is one of those perfectly good lieutenants who isn't cut out to be a general.
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@pierrezombie @squirrel First of all, Del Rio should be quite competent, I agree. He was the Ravens´ DC for a while, and in Denver, he has pretty good players to work with. And last year proved John Fox is capable of doing an exceptional job of adapting to many circumstances, so this doesn´t spell doom at all, in my opinion.
