As we approach the March 8 deadline for the Indianapolis Colts to decide whether to pay Peyton Manning, his $28m option bonus which at least temporarily will keep him on the Colts roster if they pay him. There has been a lot of chat between Irsay and Manning publicly through the press at times with Irsay acting like Peyton has been only trying to undermine his authority with other players and fans. As if they need inspiration to dislike his most recent changes with the support system that had Manning feeling comfortable and wanted some of whom were fired with Peyton in their office when they had been summoned to the bosses office not returning.
Then there is the obvious drafting of either Andrew Luck of Stanford or Robert Griffin III of Baylor with the first pick in this year's draft. With Jim Irsay's obvious looking into the future, you really have to wonder where he is with Manning and the obvious future of the future Hall of Famer. Manning did not take the big $100m deal he was offered last year opting instead to be honest with the team about his neck issues and taking the one-year deal with the $28m option due in March 2012. His subsequent surgeries and clearance to play medically doesn't however answer questions about his arm strength by next fall or how long he will be able to continue at the pro level given the injuries and age.
The options being discussed about Peyton Manning showing up in either Miami or Washington leaves something to be desired as Shanahan with the Redskins especially I cannot see as a fan of the sport. Manning is a field general unlike many we have seen in decades having to basically organize the field, calling the plays on the fly on the field which would seemingly be against Shanahan's means of controlling his team. Miami has a new coach but would any team like to take on an offense starting in March that needs to be in play by August at the beginning of the preseason still unsure if Peyton's arm strength will be at 100% or not.
If he does come back with a full strength arm in the fall can we really be sure that he will be able to stay that way at his age once he starts taking shots from tough defenses. Washington's offensive line seemed to be lacking last season and the shots we all seen Matt Moore take at the end of a play in Miami does not look any better for Manning. No one wants to see him carried off the field for one last time on the back of a golf cart in a neck brace, which of course, there is no guarantee that will happen but we also cannot be sure it will not.
I fear another legacy player unable to reach the reality of the end of his game coming upon him suddenly and being pushed to the side as a younger, talented player takes his place will leave Manning suffering regardless of where he will be carrying on if he stays in the game that he obviously loves. I believe that if he is only good for two more years and is at full arm strength he will not be able to put another team into the playoffs leading them into a Super Bowl victory within two seasons. The biggest legacy the decade had ever seen was not able to fulfill that either i.e. Brett Favre. Granted Manning isn't a Favre type of player who just seemed to willy nilly throw the ball into heavy coverage but more a field general of the likes of Kenny Stabler who willed a team to victories unlike many others arguably.
I hate to see yet another player of such legend winding up sitting on the bench or being carted off after failing to see the end of their career staring back at them when the team that they made into such a legendary status no longer wants them around.
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