Breaking News: Peyton Manning will play in 2015, ready to play "at a significant level"

[PatsFanInVa]

Good for him. Hope he can play close to the level he was at during mid season. He should not go out like he did. He should get to have a respectable performance to end on.

Absolutely agree. From "Nationwide" to this year's "Papa John's" his performances showed a definite decline. He was outshined by a QB who has been out of the league for decades.

Looking forward to a better end to 2015

 

[Bella*chick]

If I were a Broncos fan (and thank God I'm not) I sure would be POed at being a vehicle for Manning's record-breaking. I would not appreciate it one bit and god forbid if he tried some stupid other choreographed thing for the next "big" record he breaks.

 

[MassPats38]

Absolutely agree. From "Nationwide" to this year's "Papa John's" his performances showed a definite decline. He was outshined by a QB who has been out of the league for decades.

Looking forward to a better end to 2015

He is looking to perform better in all 3 phases of the game: (1) quality/recognition level of sponsors, (2) level of payment for performance and (3) quality of presentation. 2014 was indeed a down year for him.

 

[JoeSixPat]

It's crazy how much their pass blocking offensive line declined from 2013 to 2014.

Maybe but Manning didn't have any real velocity on his throws either and really wasn't playing well

I'm fine on crowning him "the best regular season QB of all time" - just as long as its recognized his one SB ring came while going up against that juggernaut Rex Grossman

Still Manning won me over years back with his United Way commercial. Still makes me laugh no matter how many times I see it. A guy who can mock himself like this is OK in my book.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/1603

 

[PATS16N0]

Title is potentially misleading.

This might be 2012 all over again. Peyton has now told the world that he's ready to play in 2015, but where's the celebration in Denver? No "He's back!" on the Broncos official website. No Elway comment. Nothing.

With 20 million dollars hanging over everything, so far this, on the Broncos end, is looking very similar to Manning's final months with the Colts.

 

[Rusty Coupe]

Title is potentially misleading.

This might be 2012 all over again. Peyton has now told the world that he's ready to play in 2015, but where's the celebration in Denver? No "He's back!" on the Broncos official website. No Elway comment. Nothing.

With 20 million dollars hanging over everything, so far this, on the Broncos end, is looking very similar to Manning's final months with the Colts.

Just the logistics of this meeting Thursday seem off. Somebody(Broncos?) made a point of saying that they sent Bowlen's jet and the team president to pick up Manning in NOLA in the morning. He arrives in Denver for a meeting, then flies back in the afternoon.

They were willing to give details about Bowlen's plane, but not a physical, asking him to take a pay cut, or what his role would be in a new offense. It doesn't add up.

 

[PATS16N0]

Just the logistics of this meeting Thursday seem off. Somebody(Broncos?) made a point of saying that they sent Bowlen's jet and the team president to pick up Manning in NOLA in the morning. He arrives in Denver for a meeting, then flies back in the afternoon.

They were willing to give details about Bowlen's plane, but not a physical, asking him to take a pay cut, or what his role would be in a new offense. It doesn't add up.

In 2012 Isray was pretty quiet after Manning's people started floating stories to the media about how football-ready he is after his surgery. We know what happened afterwards.

So far this is looking very similar, 20 million dollars due and all.

Elway said he wanted Manning back if Manning wanted to play. If that wasn't just Elway being polite, why is Denver suddenly quiet with Manning's people saying he wants to come back?

 

[Gwedd]

The real question is whether Elway and the Broncos WANT him back. They have that $20 million sitting there that they have to consider, but they also have to know that bringing Manning back into the fold for another year is putting a hold on the team's development.

Manning is turning into another Favre, and the league doesn't need that. Favre ended up as a sad old guy trying to desperately cling to a QB job on a team, any team. He couldn't accept that he was done, and he finally had to be shown the door, rather than ride off when the time was right.

As others have said, if I was a Broncos fan I'd be pissed at the thought of Manning coming back for one last hurrah, because it has nothing to do with the team, and everything to do with stroking Manning's ego. Manning has ALWAYS been about Manning, first, last, and always. Football to him has always been about HIS reputation and HIS awards and HIS stats. So if I were that broncos fan, his coming back tells me that he doesn't give a rat's patoot about me, or Denver or the broncos. Just himself and what's in it for him.

That's not teamwork. That's arrogance and narcissism.

 

[patfanken]

I HATE that Peyton Manning is considered in the same discussions as Tom Brady when they talk about GOAT's. I HATE the media's ball washing of him and their selective memory of his playoff record. I understand that his physical skills have eroded to some degree. But here's the thing. Through 12 games Manning had 33 TD's, 9 picks, and a 109 QB rating. It's not like he sucks or anything. Now I don't fear him when he comes to play the Pats. They have ALWAYS seemed to defend him well, even at his peak. It's probably more true now. But the fact remains that most of the time his team plays a game, HIS team has the better QB.

Over the last 5 games the Bronco's played Manning legs were hurt. When your arm strength is marginal to start, now you have a real problem, and it showed. If he is healthy now, there is no reason to believe that the Manning that played those first 12 games isn't going to be there at the start of the season.

The reality for the Bronco's is this. There is no other QB who would come close to giving them the productivity they get from Manning. But the fact remains he's a declining asset, and the Bronco's brain trust has to thinking about spending $21MM against the cap wondering if that declining asset can make it through the season without incurring another relatively minor leg injury that he won't be able to play through like this year. It is a real dilemma, and one I'm glad we don't have.

Other problems that they have to deal with is a vastly underperforming defense that they have a lot cash tied up in. One which they might lose their top DLman. An offense that is likely to lose 2 of its top 4 receiving assets. Your division is likely to get stronger, and you biggest rival in the conference, kicked your ass, well Manning was healthy and your team was at its best.

Make not mistake, with Manning Denver will be one of the top teams in the conference, but one that is likely to start the season flying under the radar

BTW- Jacob Tamme isn't close to the receiving threat that Julius Thomas was.

 

[obgod3]

Well I don't think PM cares that much about individual stats anymore, I think it is easy to say it but I don't believe it. I do think he wants another SB win. I don't think he gets it though. Realistically the Broncos are in decent cap shape. They can't sign all the FA's they have but I don't think Elway can afford the $20mil and do what he wants but they are not in terrible shape, much better than the Pats. I'm more interested to see how manning works with kubiak, it will be so different for one of them. If your a broncos fan I suppose that having manning back is better than anything else, but it has to be the last year. I think as a Pats fan and our guys going to Denver next year that manning being gone would be a better option.

 

[patfanken]

Manning is turning into another Favre, and the league doesn't need that. Favre ended up as a sad old guy trying to desperately cling to a QB job on a team, any team. He couldn't accept that he was done, and he finally had to be shown the door, rather than ride off when the time was right.
That's not teamwork. That's arrogance and narcissism.

I have to disagree here, Gwedd. Farve had one of the best years of his career at 40, and was far from a "sad old guy". I have no doubt that Peyton will have a very good year statistically for Denver. Unfortunately I doubt it will lead to a deep run in the playoffs, but even in his diminished capacity he's still one of the best 10 QB's in the league. Good enough that a half dozen QB deprived teams would rush to grab him, with Houston being first in line.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the idea of Peyton looking like a shell of himself playing, and getting benched. But I think that image is premature

 

[Patriots1364life]

Its hard to compare manning to favre. Favre still had tons of arm strength in his last couple of years. Manning's been banged up alot the last couple of years.

In terms of brady i feel he will retire once he knows he cant throw it anymore.

 

[Gronkowski123]

Well I don't think PM cares that much about individual stats anymore, I think it is easy to say it but I don't believe it. I do think he wants another SB win. I don't think he gets it though. Realistically the Broncos are in decent cap shape. They can't sign all the FA's they have but I don't think Elway can afford the $20mil and do what he wants but they are not in terrible shape, much better than the Pats. I'm more interested to see how manning works with kubiak, it will be so different for one of them. If your a broncos fan I suppose that having manning back is better than anything else, but it has to be the last year. I think as a Pats fan and our guys going to Denver next year that manning being gone would be a better option.

how do the broncos have more cap space then us? they have manning, clady, spent all of that money on ware, talib, and ward. plus, they gave chris harris 40m..
over 100m on their secondary and some think we can't sign revis? if darrelle walks, tom should be pissed. lol

 

[Patriots1364life]

It also helps to have a running game and a solid offensive line. I am hoping we take more ol in the draft.

 

[obgod3]

how do the broncos have more cap space then us? they have manning, clady, spent all of that money on ware, talib, and ward. plus, they gave chris harris 40m..
over 100m on their secondary and some think we can't sign revis? if darrelle walks, tom should be pissed. lol

They are 26 million under the cap as of today. It is public knowledge and readily available. All those deals your talking about where in the last two years and are all back end loaded, they will eventually come due but not in the next two years. Broncos could easily eat mannings cap number.

Pats are 4 mil over.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap/

 

[tasmlab]

I hope he comes back, has an awesome season and gives the Pats an epic battle in the AFC championship game.

Although he's lost a lot of post season games, he's got to be 2nd in playoff wins, 2nd in playoff appearances, 2nd in Superbowl appearances, and around 4th in rings among current starting QBs.

 

[PATS16N0]

I have to disagree here, Gwedd. Farve had one of the best years of his career at 40, and was far from a "sad old guy". I have no doubt that Peyton will have a very good year statistically for Denver. Unfortunately I doubt it will lead to a deep run in the playoffs, but even in his diminished capacity he's still one of the best 10 QB's in the league. Good enough that a half dozen QB deprived teams would rush to grab him, with Houston being first in line.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the idea of Peyton looking like a shell of himself playing, and getting benched. But I think that image is premature

At 21 million dollars Peyton is hardly an asset when teams with average defenses can just press the corners, bring their safeties forward and clog up the middle of the field to shut him down. I also don't buy into his injury excuse. If he had a significant quad tear, he wouldn't have been on the field. He was making stupid decisions in the playoffs, including not running for a 1st down that was right in front of him with 20 yards of open field. Unless he had a brain tear, I don't see how his injury is relevant.

I think he's just done.

For 20M, Denver could arguably do a lot more in free agency than noodle-arm will give them.

 

[libra957]

Supposedly Manning didn't wanna get paid more than Brady, well he's due 19 million next year.

 

[dhamz]

Title is potentially misleading.

This might be 2012 all over again. Peyton has now told the world that he's ready to play in 2015, but where's the celebration in Denver? No "He's back!" on the Broncos official website. No Elway comment. Nothing.

With 20 million dollars hanging over everything, so far this, on the Broncos end, is looking very similar to Manning's final months with the Colts.

What we are seeing is a public negotiation. Manning wants to play in Denver and wants to be paid what his deal says. The Broncos want him but don't want to pay him the big $ on that deal.

Early in the week Manning's camp applies pressure to Elway by telling a Louisiana paper he was training and intended to come back.

The Broncos go to Jason Cole and let Peyton know they are "undecided" on if they want him and that based on his past surgeries they can fail him on his physical if they want to. The underlying message was that at a much lower number, there is no indecision.

Now Manning is going through his personal PR hack - Mort - to try to up the pressure on Elway by telling the fans he is 100% healthy. This was him calling what he thinks was a bluff by Elway. Peyton is essentially daring Elway to either pay him his $20m or explain to Denver's fans why he doesn't want a 100% healthy Peyton Manning as his QB.

Someone is going to blink over the next couple of weeks.

 

[dhamz]

Well I don't think PM cares that much about individual stats anymore, I think it is easy to say it but I don't believe it.

This is the same guy who spent practice time a few months ago convincing his WRs that when he broke the TD record it would make him look really cool to the fans at home if they played keep away from him with the ball.

I'm not in the camp that believes he doesn't care about winning but there is really no debating that his stats matter to him a lot and always have.