The Goat Pen

Why doesn't Manning want to go back to Tennessee?

If he truly wants to remain a Colt and Irsay spurns him, I could easily see Peyton wanting to stay in the AFC South.

I don't think Tennessee's team is nearly as strong as the Texans. That being said, I just don't see the Texans signing Manning at all.

Certainly the Texans are stronger, but with Schaub, I don't think they need to upset the apple cart with a signing like Manning. The Titans or Jags, however, should make a run at him if he's healthy.

I should add that I don't believe Peyton will go to the NFC -- the dream is to have a Manning v Manning Super Bowl.

and he definitely will not be a Redskin and have the lower hand against Eli twice a year

You're going to be reading many more reports about Pey Pey going to this team or that team. Irsay needs to cut him now so we can get this over with.

Schaub's health concerns aren't nearly as strong as Manning's. Schaub is four to five years younger than Peyton. The Texans offense was among the Top 5 in total points scored and #2 in scoring differential when Schaub went down (and that's with AJ being out for five games). Schaub will never be as good as Peyton was (and maybe not as good as a healthy Manning would be today) but with that defense, that running game and that improved OL, the Texans can certainly reach a SB with Schaub. Like Spacer said, I just don't see the Texans going in that direction, not when they've gotta figure out a way to fit both Mario and Arian under the cap in a way that gives them flexibility over the next couple of seasons.

My thought is that either Briesel or Myers is gone from the OL and that Antoine Caldwell (OG/C)will be asked to replace one or the other (most likely Briesel). Dreesen is probably gone as well and Garret Graham will finally see more playing time as the 2nd tight end.

Maybe the best thing the Texans achieved in 2011--that is, beyond actually making the playoffs--is learning how much depth they have across the board. So with that, I don't think they're as concerned about trying to add that missing piece like a HOF QB. I think they're more interested in just locking up the playmakers they already have and then solidifying and couple of starting positions (like the #2 wide receiver, which is clearly the offense's weak point).

There's been growing talk about Peyton going to the Chiefs, as Matt Cassel has looked incredibly average since the end of the 2010 regular season. Not so out of the realm of possibility, particularly when you see how much cap maneuverability the Chiefs have.

If Peyton is willing to sign an incentive laden contract why wouldn't any team that needs him sign him?

Even if his arm is a noodle, he'll fill the stadium for the first half of the season

There's only four teams that didn't sell out every game last year.

sardis wrote:There's only four teams that didn't sell out every game last year.

really?

Ok, I was using NFL blackout stats. Maybe not completely truthful.

I think there were around 16 games blacked out this past year. I know the Bengals had at least 6 and Tampa Bay & Jacksonville had some.

From the article:

08:07 AM ET 02.14 | There are, of course, many moving parts to Peyton Manning's future, but speculation heated up again Monday. Someone I know who is close friends with the Manning family says Peyton is definitely interested in possibly coming to the Texans. Peyton will be released by the Colts early next month and will be a free agent. The person who knows the Mannings says Peyton wants to play on a team that has a chance of going to a Super Bowl, and the Texans fit that description. Another big plus is that the Texans are in the Colts division. Manning not only knows the division, but I'm told the relationship between him and Colts ownerRobert Irsay now is strictly business.

Wow, I had NO IDEA that Peyton Manning was a medium.

Jackass. At least he spelled Manning's name correctly.

according to irsay he's leaving it up to manning whether he comes back to the colts

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=A ... ts-manning

I still think he winds up west. seattle, maybe arizona, maybe kansas city, maybe denver

Sounds like Irsay is trying to alleviate some of the backlash that might come fron the fans if Peyton does leave. "Hey, it was up to him. We tried!"

All smoke and mirrors.

yea, its up to Peyton if he wants to come back...with a contract that dumps his salary

nevermind he is the reason we're a football team or that he single handedly is responsible for us having a state of the art stadium in a mid market city, or that the downtown Indy area is completely revitalized now, nope, he is a selfish bastard if he goes to Texas.

Yeah, he just got paid 26 million dollars to have surgery all last season so yeah.....

Bottom line - No team in their right mind on March 13th is going to give him 25 million per season over the next 2/3 years without knowing anything about his health. Period. End of story. If someone does, good for them, they can bite the salary cap hit. At best, he is going to get a very heavy incentive based contract where he has to meet certain milestones which will be based on his health. He can get probably the best deal in Indy if he goes that route. However, if someone like Arizona or Seattle offers him a big time deal regardless of health, then oh well.

And Yes, you are correct on all points about the Indy area and stadium BUT at some point his career in Indy/NFL is going to end. Time waits for no man.

Irsay is the anti Mike Brown. He knows how to run a football team but lacks the business sense.

Him dumping it off on Peyton though is fake.