Peyton Manning To Be Released (Rumor)

[The Cysko Kid]

I wasn't expecting him to be cleared to play so soon. Getting interesting now.

[slowburn]

can't believe the peyton/colt circus is upstaging little eli a couple days before only the biggest fuckin game of his life.

shamless self promotion and bad form by peyton, his physicians and the colts FO. my image of them (colts) as one of the classiest franchises

in the league will be changed forever. i'd be pisssed as hell if i were eli. what say you daddy archie? get your idiot son in line.

[Taco918]

I don't see anything negative from this as far as Eli is concerned. Its just extra motivation to go out in Sunday and prove that he should've been getting the attention. If I was a Giants fan I would be extremely happy about this. Extra motivation is always a good thing especially when the stakes are as high as they are.

[The Gipper]

@taco918 said:

I don't see anything negative from this as far as Eli is concerned. Its just extra motivation to go out in Sunday and prove that he should've been getting the attention. If I was a Giants fan I would be extremely happy about this. Extra motivation is always a good thing especially when the stakes are as high as they are.

Hell, it is probably designed to take pressure of Eli and onlt Payton.

[hoorta]

@king-ghoolie-lives said:

Peyton Manning WILL play again.

Just as fighters with scrambled brains and detached retinas will play again. So too will money and a players only love win out in the end.

SOme idiot team will use Manning to sell tickets and then have the sumpathy events and dollars when Manning is squashed into the turf.

SHould be cool to watch.

Actually Tom, if you've watched Manning play the last few years, he usually doesn't get squashed into the turf. Just falls down and curls up in the fetal position before anyone can touch him.

I'll have to disagree with Roach- we get Griffin and he lights it up in preseason, it would cause as much excitement as getting a 35 year old guy who is one hit away from winding up in a nursing home.

I'll have to admit JJ has sold me on RGIII- (I've seen enough of the kid on my own to have the opinion he's Michael Vick without the baggage) just depends on how much the Rams will want for their pick.

[The Gipper]

Zombo said:

The Manning Effect

Feb 03, 2012 -- 6:28pm

By Chris Fedor

Could Peyton Manning be holding the Cards when it comes to the Browns’ off-season?

While the Super Bowl festivities are underway in Indianapolis, all the talk is about a quarterback with the last name Manning.

Not the one that you would think, though.

The buzz isn’t about Eli, whose Giants are playing New England in Super Bowl XLVI, it’s about his big brother, Peyton.

The Colts’ icon is still trying to recover from neck fusion surgery and nobody knows how his rehab is coming, let alone if he would risk further injury for one more shot at a Lombardi Trophy. The one thing we seem to know is that he won’t be back in Indianapolis if he decides to play in 2012. His agent, Tom Condon, said three words today that will leave teams salivating this offseason. “Peyton’s not done.”

If that is indeed the case, it’s great news for the Browns. In fact, Browns fans should pray that Peyton Manning plays somewhere in 2012.

Loaded with cap space and draft picks, the Browns enter a critical off-season with the means to take the next step forward if they choose to be aggressive. Then again, maybe the front office will once again sit back and explain how this is its third first year in Cleveland. Who knows? I can’t keep up with this organization’s clock. Nonetheless, the Browns are at the crossroads, and unless they address their situation at quarterback, they will remain one of the most irrelevant franchises in the NFL.

Colt McCoy is not the answer. Neither is Seneca Wallace. Neither is talented enough. Granted, there are things out of Colt’s control. The running game, wide receivers, shaky offensive line, and play-calling were all things that contributed to his failures in 2011. The other things that contributed to his poor play were his physical tools, or lack thereof.

While Randy Lerner remains the person writing the checks, Mike Holmgren has the important job title and Tom Heckert is picking the talent, the person who may control what the Browns do in this vital offseason is none other than Peyton Manning.

Before you start asking Holmgren for playoff tickets, Manning is not coming here to Cleveland. If he plays this season, and that remains a big question, Manning will have his choice of going nearly anywhere. The New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, Tennessee Titans and the Arizona Cardinals are expected to take a run at Manning.

That makes sense, because he’s one of the best quarterbacks to ever buckle a chinstrap. At the same time, all those teams are more appealing to Manning than Cleveland. But just because the Browns don’t stack up, doesn’t mean he won’t have an impact on what they do. No matter where Manning goes, he will open up a golden opportunity for the Browns to improve the QB position.

Let’s take a look at his options, and how Manning’s choice could impact the Browns:

New York Jets

The bright lights of New York City could be appealing, but does Manning want to share the city with his little brother, Eli? Does he want to play for a team that has to see his nemesis, Tom Brady, twice per year? If he does, then that means Mark Sanchez would become available. Sanchez had a pretty disappointing year. Maybe we are learning “Sanchez” is Spanish for overrated. Maybe. He also has two AFC Championship appearances attached to his resume and is more talented than Colt McCoy or Seneca Wallace. Sanchez isn’t perfect and has his flaws, but he would upgrade the position in Cleveland.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins have been starving for a quarterback since the days of Dan Marino and they hold the ninth pick in the draft. By that time, the top two QB’s will be long gone. The good news for Miami is that it appears to be the clear front-runner to land soon-to-be free agent Matt Flynn. After all, his former offensive coordinator, Joe Philbin, is now the head coach in Miami. However, if Manning becomes available, the Dolphins have already said he would be the top target. In this scenario, the clear landing spot for Flynn would be occupied by No. 18. That could bring the Browns back in the running for Aaron Rodgers’ back-up who is ready to become a starter.

Washington Redskins

Aside from the Browns, it would appear that the ‘Skins have the worst QB situation in the NFL. They simply don’t have a competent starter on the roster and can’t go into 2012 with the combination of Rex Grossman and John Beck under center. Unless, of course, they’re hoping to “Play Like Mularkey for Barkley.”

If there’s one thing that we know about Mike Shanahan -- besides the fact that he looks like a rat -- it’s that he knows quarterbacks and will go to great lengths to solidify the position. He traded up to grab Jay Cutler in Denver and he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again for the right guy. The ‘Skins would also make sense as a potential landing spot for Matt Flynn. My biggest fear is that Washington steals the headlines on draft day by trading up for Robert Griffin III. But if Manning goes to Washington, it could pave the way for Cleveland to nab the Heisman Trophy winner.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans have both Matthew Hasselbeck and Jake Locker on the roster. Hasselbeck probably doesn’t have too many throws left in his old right arm, but the relationship he has with Mike Holmgren is strong. If the Titans decide that Jake Locker is not yet ready and they want an upgrade at the position in the short-term, they would be wise to take a run at a face they have seen opposite them numerous times. While this wouldn’t be the ideal situation when it comes to the Browns and they would once again be targeting a temporary solution to a permanent problem, Hasselbeck is a Mike Holmgren guy and it seems like a move he would sign off on.

Arizona Cardinals

This one speaks for itself. On one hand the Cards have invested pretty significantly in Kevin Kolb. Larry Fitzgerald has a great relationship with him and has raved about Kolb the last few years. In saying that, the last time the Cards went to the Super Bowl, it was with an aging quarterback looking for one last shot at glory. Arizona could try to duplicate that script used with Kurt Warner. It plays home games indoors, the division is not the strongest in the NFL, the roster (with the exception of a brutally bad offensive line) is ready to compete, and the appeal of sunshine and blue skies in the desert may be too much for Manning to ignore. If this scenario plays out, the Browns would be one of the first teams in line for Kevin Kolb. Even though he had an injury riddled season and didn’t pick up the offense as quickly as some thought he would, the talent is there and he is still only 27-years-old. Kolb is an NFL starter. He was born to play in the West Coast offense Tom Heckert brought him to Philly from Houston in the draft in the first place, and their relationship makes Cleveland a likely landing spot if Manning goes to the valley.

With the Browns in the midst of the most pivotal offseason since the team returned in 1999, the decision of a future Hall-Of-Famer could be the key factor in deciding which direction Cleveland will go in hopes of answering the most important question for the franchise

Follow Chris Fedor on Twitter @ChrisFedor

http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=5&post_id=498

Fedor is majorly lacking in credibility in my mind.

He falls in love with certain guys and figuratively whacks off to them on the air....but it isn't necessarily guys that are all that good.

And he hates guys who show up and try to do their jobs.

Screw him and his opinions.

[PoeticG]

Biggest issue is if Peyton Manning can play again and the Colts decide to sit a QB behind him for a couple years... who do they go with? Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III? Griffin would benefit most from sitting and learning the prostyle offense more than say Luck would. Luck would be more effective coming into a situation like Cleveland and learning on the fly. So if Peyton can mend fences and get healthy it bodes well for Cleveland's chances on landing Luck.

[hoorta]

@poeticg said:

Biggest issue is if Peyton Manning can play again and the Colts decide to sit a QB behind him for a couple years... who do they go with? Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III? Griffin would benefit most from sitting and learning the prostyle offense more than say Luck would. Luck would be more effective coming into a situation like Cleveland and learning on the fly. So if Peyton can mend fences and get healthy it bodes well for Cleveland's chances on landing Luck.

Biggest question is assuming Manning is 1\2 healthy, will he restructure his contract to a sane level (no way in hell the Colts are paying him the $35 million he's in line to get) or decide to go with a potentially bigger payday with say, the Redskins- and they won't be paying him $35 million either.

And um, hello- Irsay can throw out all the smoke he wants, but it's a done deal they're taking Luck, barring an insane offer- which won't be coming from the Browns. St Andrew is a prototypical qb in every respect. RGIII is not.

[PoeticG]

@hoorta said:

Biggest question is assuming Manning is 1\2 healthy, will he restructure his contract to a sane level (no way in hell the Colts are paying him the $35 million he's in line to get) or decide to go with a potentially bigger payday with say, the Redskins- and they won't be paying him $35 million either.

And um, hello- Irsay can throw out all the smoke he wants, but it's a done deal they're taking Luck, barring an insane offer- which won't be coming from the Browns. St Andrew is a prototypical qb in every respect. RGIII is not.

Why would Irsay need to throw out smoke? He holds the number 1 overall pick it's not like he's picking second and trying to throw off the team that picks first... this doesn't make sense. It's not a given that the Colts take Luck. Many see RG3 as the best player in the College ranks this offseason and some even think that his ceiling is higher than Lucks. If the Colts work out a deal with Peyton then it's perfectly plausible that they go with the brightest star on the horizon in RG3.

[choco]

@poeticg said:

Why would Irsay need to throw out smoke?

ummmm...

It's not a given that the Colts take Luck.

you answered your own question in your own post.

[The Gipper]

@mld-woody said:

Will all this talk about the Browns and free agents I will be severely disappointed if we can't land one big FA

It is the Browns though, so I should lower my expectations...

Browns land a big free agent....found it out there in Lake Erie:

[Vizion]

Hate to bring this up, but did anyone read the article about Dan Snyder possibly just giving Fisher and the Rams money for the 2nd pick to help them stay in STL? Here's the link:

http://www.hogshaven.com/2012/2/9/2787187/are-the-pieces-of-a-rg3-trade-coming-together

Can he actually do that? Just throw money at them to renovate their stadium? Ugh, the idea of trying to outbid the Redskins just makes me cringe. I think it's more likely we get Flynn or draft someone like Tannehill, Foles, Wilson, Moore or Keenum.

[PoeticG]

@the-gipper said:

Browns land a big free agent....found it out there in Lake Erie:

Yo Gipper, What is that fish? Is that real and did it really come from Lake Erie? Yikes!

[hoorta]

@vizion said:

Hate to bring this up, but did anyone read the article about Dan Snyder possibly just giving Fisher and the Rams money for the 2nd pick to help them stay in STL? Here's the link:

http://www.hogshaven.com/2012/2/9/2787187/are-the-pieces-of-a-rg3-trade-coming-together

Can he actually do that? Just throw money at them to renovate their stadium? Ugh, the idea of trying to outbid the Redskins just makes me cringe. I think it's more likely we get Flynn or draft someone like Tannehill, Foles, Wilson, Moore or Keenum.

WARNING!!! BLOGGER ON CRACK

You can buy a pick in the NBA, but I sincerely doubt that's legal in the NFL. Never been done before. And if the Browns want RGIII that badly, Lerner has about as much money as Snyder, AND better draft picks to throw at the Rams.

It would be way cheaper for the Redskins is actual $$$ and draft picks to throw the house at Peyton Manning, should he be released. Stay tuned.

[Vizion]

@hoorta said:

WARNING!!! BLOGGER ON CRACK

You can buy a pick in the NBA, but I sincerely doubt that's legal in the NFL. Never been done before. And if the Browns want RGIII that badly, Lerner has about as much money as Snyder, AND better draft picks to throw at the Rams.

It would be way cheaper for the Redskins is actual $$$ and draft picks to throw the house at Peyton Manning, should he be released. Stay tuned.

Are you kidding? Has anybody in the NFL ever outbid Daniel Snyder on anything? It's not about how much money Lerner has it's about the fact that Snyder throws it away like it's absolutely nothing on that organization and Lerner doesn't do that with the Browns (smartly). Lerner would actually think "the price is too high" or "that's too much" while Snyder would just give it away (this is the man who okay'd giving Haynesworth $100 million)

There seems to be a debate as to whether or not it would be legal. It doesn't seem like it would be, but apparently it's not specifically stated in the rules.

The Redskins already said they are absolutely not giving draft picks up for Peyton Manning. I think they are definitely the Browns biggest competition for RG3 and the thing that concerns me most is the close relationship between Fisher and Shanahan. I wouldn't be surprised if they made a deal way before draft day.

Also, I have to honestly ask, what key players on the Browns do you think we could trade? I hate to sound negative, but I'm not sure who anyone would want - particularly at the most coveted skill positions (RB, WR, TE, LB, DB)

[The Gipper]

@poeticg said:

Yo Gipper, What is that fish? Is that real and did it really come from Lake Erie? Yikes!

I understand it is supposed to be real. It may be a sturgeon or something....and yes, it is supposed to have been caught in Lake Erie....but I can in no way confirm anything.

[hoorta]

@vizion said:

Are you kidding? Has anybody in the NFL ever outbid Daniel Snyder on anything? It's not about how much money Lerner has it's about the fact that Snyder throws it away like it's absolutely nothing on that organization and Lerner doesn't do that with the Browns (smartly). Lerner would actually think "the price is too high" or "that's too much" while Snyder would just give it away (this is the man who okay'd giving Haynesworth $100 million)

There seems to be a debate as to whether or not it would be legal. It doesn't seem like it would be, but apparently it's not specifically stated in the rules.

The Redskins already said they are absolutely not giving draft picks up for Peyton Manning. I think they are definitely the Browns biggest competition for RG3 and the thing that concerns me most is the close relationship between Fisher and Shanahan. I wouldn't be surprised if they made a deal way before draft day.

Also, I have to honestly ask, what key players on the Browns do you think we could trade? I hate to sound negative, but I'm not sure who anyone would want - particularly at the most coveted skill positions (RB, WR, TE, LB, DB)

To answer your first question last- the Browns have Ward, Haden, and Thomas as potential players another team could want. The Redskins have Gaffney and Orakpo.

OK, let's do a hypothetical Snyder gives away the farm to get RGIII. His first & second rounders this year, next year's first and Gaffney (who the Rams could use). We're not matching that level of stupidity.

I'm on record the most I would give up (in addition to our #4 overall) is our second rounder this year and a third next year.