March 09, 2012

Peyton Manning Visits Denver: Peyton Manning has flown to Denver to discuss the possibility of playing for the Broncos next season. "Broncos owner Pat Bowlen is prepared to do whatever it takes to land Manning," claims Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Columnist Woody Paige doesn't expect it to happen, thinking instead he'll end up in Miami.

posted by rcade to football at 06:45 PM - 21 comments

I admit that I don't follow them that closely, but the Broncos have always seemed like a fan-friendly franchise and one that is willing to nurture young talent into an organic team more than it wants to grab hot free agents (a la Al Davis or Dan Snyder) or plug underrated talent into a particular place in its system (a la Bill Belichick). Picking up Manning would flip the bird at the fans who have clamored for Tebow, and it would upend the offense so thoroughly that they might as well just say, "Jesus, this Tebow guy sucks and we can't possibly ever build a winning team around him, so we're not even going to try."

Not that they shouldn't at least be talking to Manning -- if you haven't been to a Super Bowl in the last three or four years (or if you're Pittsburgh), you definitely should be. But I'd be at least a little surprised if Denver pivoted that hard away from Tebow.

posted by Etrigan at 02:36 AM on March 10, 2012

Just don't want Manning to end up in the clutches of Dan Snyder.

posted by roberts at 07:26 AM on March 10, 2012

So you're an organization stuck with an extremely popular QB that you don't believe will be a long term solution. The question you're faced with is, how do you get rid of your starting quarterback without pissing off your fan base? Well, you send a thank you note to Jim Irsay for letting a popular super bowl winning, hall of fame quarterback on to the open market and woo him as hard as you can. As good as his fans think Tebow is, only the most deluded would think he's a better QB than a healthy Peyton Manning. I don't think it's a big FU to the fans of Tebow, but then again I'm not one.

posted by apoch at 07:30 AM on March 10, 2012

If Tebow can be mentored by Manning for a couple of years, that may be the best thing for him.

posted by grum@work at 08:51 AM on March 10, 2012

I want Tebow in Jacksonville. It'll sell 5,000 more season tickets and we've already got a run-first offense that suits his talents.

He could fail as a starter, but so could Blaine Gabbert. I'd rather roll the dice with a player that puts butts in seats.

Nobody mentors a quarterback for years any more. Tebow's past the mentoring stage. It would be a waste for Denver to keep him as a clipboard holder. If they signed Manning they should trade Tebow.

posted by rcade at 09:49 AM on March 10, 2012

Cover Peyton's eyes! Non human urine? WTF.

Picking up Manning would flip the bird at the fans who have clamored for Tebow

If they want Tebow to succeed more than they want the Broncos to succeed I won't be all that sad about flipping them the bird.

posted by tron7 at 12:21 PM on March 10, 2012

If Tebow can be mentored by Manning for a couple of years, that may be the best thing for him.

...and you just might have the real reason for Denver's interest in Manning. How many years does Manning have left? 2 or 3 would be a realistic estimate. If Tebow will do the work - and from all reports he will - he is about 2 years away from being a good quarterback. Please note, I do not say "great" QB, but a good one. If Manning is willing to be his mentor, Tebow has a chance at learning just enough to get past "good" and become borderline great. Tebow has the physical tools, but he needs to learn how to use them. The difference between merely good and anything better is the mental aspect of the game, and that's what Manning can offer Denver and Tebow.

posted by Howard_T at 01:00 PM on March 10, 2012

The hardest thing Peyton would have to teach Tebow is how to make those devil horns.

Tebow would also have a chance to mentor Peyton.

We'd know that was happening when we heard the first "Gosh darn it Donald!"

posted by beaverboard at 01:10 PM on March 10, 2012

Someone will have to explain to me how Tebow would be willing to go back to the bench for 2-3 years after having lead the Broncos to the AFC Championship game. Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, I don't see how Tesus I would accept sitting behind anyone for so long.

posted by billsaysthis at 02:27 PM on March 10, 2012

Manning in Pittsburgh? HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!...sigh...wipes tears. You are kidding, right?

posted by steelergirl at 03:29 PM on March 10, 2012

after having lead the Broncos to the AFC Championship game.

He hasn't done that yet. They only got to the Divisional round. Tebow doesn't really seem like the kind of egoist that would have a problem with Manning going ahead of him, but I don't know.

posted by LionIndex at 05:13 PM on March 10, 2012

Anything to kill Tebow mania. I would love to see this happen.

posted by insomnyuk at 08:23 PM on March 10, 2012

Someone will have to explain to me how Tebow would be willing to go back to the bench for 2-3 years after having lead the Broncos to the AFC Championship game.

As pointed out, it wasn't the AFC championship game.
It was the 2nd round, and they got destroyed.
He went 9-for-26.

He also finished the season with a sub-.500 completion rate for the season.

This is not (right now) a QB that is going to lead you to the promised land.

posted by grum@work at 01:27 AM on March 11, 2012

Assuming Manning can actually get back on the field, stay on the field, and perform as he has in the past, of course Tebow can't compare. Peyton Manning, as we've become used to seeing him perform, can send practically any quarterback, outside of the very elite, to the bench. I like what Tebow did last year, but with regards to throwing the ball, he and Manning are in a different universe.

That being said, I don't really see Denver winning out and getting Manning. At this point in his career, when injuries are tougher to come back from and the body just won't rebound like in the past, (not to mention coming from a situation where he played half his games indoors), I see Manning choosing either Miami or Arizona. Another team will have to offer a huge contract to change that.

My original idea of Tennessee being a great fit still intrigues me, though.

posted by dyams at 09:22 AM on March 11, 2012

I don't see how Denver could justify hanging on to Tebow after signing Manning. Tebow has legitimate trade value now. He won't after two years of clipboard holding. If John Elway is going to bring in a new starter and withstand the negative reaction from some Broncos fans (and, more importantly, the national media), why not get rid of Tebow entirely so there's never again a risk of putting your franchise in his hands? Draft a quarterback of the future in a year or two.

posted by rcade at 10:33 AM on March 11, 2012

I believe if Denver did get their hands on Manning that would be their excuse to get rid of Tebow. With their luck, though, Manning won't even make it through camp, Tebow will go to Seattle, and Seattle will take a wildcard spot in the NFC while Denver brings back Kyle Orton and finishes under .500. Brady Quinn will remain in the third or fourth spot on the depth chart regardless of who is on the roster.

posted by dyams at 11:42 AM on March 11, 2012

There is no way the Broncos would bring back Orton. Things didn't end particularly well here.

This CBS sports report makes it seem like it's down to Arizona and Denver.

posted by tron7 at 05:29 PM on March 11, 2012

I wasn't really serious about Orton. My point is whatever team nabs Manning will be taking a big risk that he can actually get on the field and put in a whole season. Say Denver gets Manning, dumps Tebow, then Manning can't play. The city of Denver will be PISSED!

posted by dyams at 06:43 PM on March 11, 2012

New Jags owner Khan is evidently a Tebow guy, should the Broncs bring Peyton in and look to move Tebow.

Khan knows what rcade wants, and will do everything in his power to comply with the beast's demands.

The alternative is too frightening to contemplate.

posted by beaverboard at 07:43 AM on March 12, 2012

And if he screws it up, rcade can shout KHAAAAN!

posted by Mr Bismarck at 11:06 AM on March 12, 2012

Nobody messes with the pope squatter.

posted by apoch at 11:28 AM on March 12, 2012

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