When are schedules to be released, and will the NFL wait for Manning to sign?

[brdmaverick]

When are the NFL schedules typically released? Do you think the league will wait for Peyton Manning to sign with a team before releasing the schedule?

I ask because signing Peyton Manning would instantly add a few more prime time games for whichever team lands him.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

No one player is ever going to change the entire schedule....I don't care if its Peyton Manning or Curtis Painter...its the same.

Now with the Flex schedule late in the season it may be different.

 

[Ian]

I don't think they'll have to wait anyway, according to Manning he wants to make a decision on a team within the next week.

 

[FortressX]

Isn't it right around the draft ?

Dolphins will be playing the Colts this year in Indy.
That would draw in many casual fans if Peyton signed with the Dolphins

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Isn't it right around the draft ?

Dolphins will be playing the Colts this year in Indy.
That would draw in many casual fans if Peyton signed with the Dolphins

Yeah, late April.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

NFL can always flex games late in season that would be "wanna see" games with Manning. Like a Manning VS Manning match up depending where Peyton lands.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

No one player is ever going to change the entire schedule....I don't care if its Peyton Manning or Curtis Painter...its the same.

Now with the Flex schedule late in the season it may be different.

Change the entire schedule...no.

But if Peyton signs with one of the 13 teams that the Colts play next year I could see the NFL trying to make that one a primetime game, if the schedule is not already released.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Broncos, Cardinals and (obviously) Jets and Dolphins all play games at Foxborough next year. Adding Manning to any of those teams would make that a pretty attractive prime time game.

 

[brdmaverick]

Sure, the NFL can flex games early in the season, but who wouldn't want to watch Peyton play in his first game for a new team?

Duante Culpepper suffered a similar fate in Minnesota when he was still considered a good QB, and his first game with the fish was on primetime in week 1.

Also, the Pats were placed on MNF during week 1 of 2009 because I'm sure a national audience wanted to witness Brady's return from injury.

With Peyton Manning you get both (coming off injury/playing with new team). Who wouldn't want to watch his first game back?

 

[Wolfpack]

When are the NFL schedules typically released? Do you think the league will wait for Peyton Manning to sign with a team before releasing the schedule?

I ask because signing Peyton Manning would instantly add a few more prime time games for whichever team lands him.

They release the schedule in the days leading up to the draft, perhaps the week before. But they tease us with the full preseason schedule as well as some of the major national games (opening night game, key MNF matchups, Thanksgiving Day games, etc) about a week before that.

I have no doubt that where Manning signs will have an impact on the schedule. If he goes to Denver, the Denver-NE becomes a instant marquee game, and would either go to primetime or at the very least the national late-afternoon CBS game. If he goes to Miami, then those 2 Miami-NE games become marquee games and would get the same treatment.