Chiefs a good fit for Manning

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By Bill Williamson

The Peyton Manning saga will surely be the story of the NFL offseason. The question in the AFC West is, will the Kansas City Chiefs be the story along with the legendary Indianapolis Colts quarterback?

As of now, we have to think it is a real possibility that the Chiefs will heavily pursue Manning -- who may be cut by the Colts as soon as next week -- if he becomes a free agent. Manning, who will turn 36 on March 24, missed all of last season with a neck injury and there is no certain date when he will be 100 percent, although there have been reports he will be ready to play in 2012.

If the Chiefs end up signing Manning, it won’t be the first time the organization brought in a living legend at the end of his career after he suffered a serious injury. The Chiefs traded for San Francisco’s Joe Montana in 1993.

The Chiefs have been connected to Manning in recent weeks. A Kansas City radio station has even reported that the team has had multiple conversations with Manning’s agent about finances and that the Chiefs feel comfortable about what Manning may want. That would constitute tampering and it is highly unlikely any team would talk finances with Manning before giving him a physical and knowing more about his recovery timetable. Still, the Chiefs have a load of salary-cap room and they can easily construct a deal for Manning in addition to making other improvements.

Of course, Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel did nothing to take the scent off a potential Chiefs-Manning pairing when he said this at the NFL combine last Saturday: “With a talent like that, I would be crazy not to consider it if he’s available. I’ll leave it at that.”

The Chiefs are not necessarily looking for a new starting quarterback. At the combine, Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli wouldn’t say the job is open. He said the starter is Matt Cassel. However, there will be competition at every position. The translation is the Chiefs expect Cassel to be the starter, but if a better option comes along, they will consider it. There’s no doubt a healthy Manning would be a better option.

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Kansas City's Matt CasselDak Dillon/US PRESSWIREMatt Cassel may find himself backing up Peyton Manning next season if the Chiefs make a move.
If the Chiefs do want to go deep into the Manning sweepstakes, they will have competition, likely beginning with Miami and Washington. There will surely be other teams that show interest in the player who many consider one of the greatest NFL players of all time.

In addition to their interest and financial means, here’s another reason the Chiefs could be favorites to land Manning: They may be the best team interested in him. That would surely appeal to Manning when he is making his choice. I’m not sure many of the interested teams can offer Manning a better supporting cast.

The Chiefs have a strong running game and Manning would have plenty of receiving options. No. 1 receiver Dwayne Bowe is expected to be franchised, 2011 first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin is a potential game-changing deep threat and Steve Breaston is a solid possession receiver. Tight end Tony Moeaki is expected to be healthy after missing the 2011 season with a knee injury. He was terrific as a rookie in 2010.

In addition to appealing offensive weapons, the Chiefs have the makings of a strong defense. A healthy Manning would immensely help any team. But Manning could be a difference-maker in Kansas City. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said adding Manning would make the Chiefs -- who finished 7-9 in 2011 despite major injury issues -- “the clear favorite to win the AFC West” in 2012.

Putting Manning in the Heartland would make many teams in the AFC nervous.

I would think Manning would also be fine with working with Crennel and Pioli. He is close with New England quarterback Tom Brady and Brady won Super Bowls with both men. I’m sure Brady would give Manning glowing reports on both of his potential bosses. And don’t think Manning would have trouble working with a defensive-minded coach like Crennel. Remember, the man Manning won his Super Bowl ring with, Tony Dungy, was a defensive-minded coach.

Cassel is also a factor in this scenario. Because Manning will be signed before there are any guarantees he’ll be ready to play, any team that signs him must have a good fallback plan. There are fewer better fallbacks than Cassel.

If Manning is signed and he has a setback, the Chiefs can rely on Cassel, who shined as Brady’s injury replacement in 2008. While Cassel wouldn’t be thrilled with the idea of backing up Manning, I’m sure he’d understand the Chiefs taking advantage of a rare opportunity to pick up a future Hall of Fame player.

There are a lot of reasons this pairing makes sense. If it happens, the Chiefs will be at the center of the NFL universe.

Touchdown Bowe wrote:

Theres something obviously behind the scenes with KC..there has to be a reason he wouldnt give us the time of day. He would be a complete idiot to not even consider us, but meet with Miami, Denver, Arizona, and Tennessee.

This from Mike Florio:

6. Loser: Dolphins.

Peter King of SI.com chronicles a decade of bizarre personnel moves by the Dolphins, but the organization is now developing another troubling reputation: anyone with options won’t opt for Miami.

It began last year with owner Stephen Ross clumsily pursuing coach Jim Harbaugh, which painted a vivid picture of disloyalty to coach Tony Sparano. It continued in 2012 when Ross tried, and failed, to lure coach Jeff Fisher to town. And it spread to the ranks of players in 2012, with Peyton Manning showing tepid interest at best in joining the team (even though some believed it was a done deal that he’d be a Dolphin). Then, Matt Flynn’s decision to play for the Seahawks instead of former Packers coordinator/Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin did more than raise eyebrows — especially when followed by Steelers safety Ryan Clark proclaiming that “no one” wants to play for the Dolphins.


Correct or not, there’s now a perception that no one of significant consequence wants to work for the Dolphins. And the harder Ross tries to turn the page by making a “big splash,” the more likely it is that he’ll continue to swing the bat and hit himself in the face with it.

I haven't seen anything like this about the Chiefs since Haley got his walking papers. Miami is the team being painted as the franchise no one wants to play for. Florio also posted awhile back saying Manning only visited Miami as a favor to Dan Marino. Now with players like Winston and Hillis along with a few others coming to KC, does that change your thoughts at all on this?

Too bad Manning signed with the Broncos today.

Peyton Manning Will Join The Broncos; Tim Tebow Trade Coming

Well, well. It appears the Peyton Manning saga will come to an end soon. ESPN's Chris Mortensen tweeted out a moment ago that Peyton Manning will join the Denver Broncos. This follows dozens of news reports concerning Manning's interest in at least a half dozen teams - Denver, San Francisco, Miami, Seattle, Arizona and Tennessee.

In addition to signing Peyton Manning, the Denver Broncos will reportedly try to trade QB Tim Tebow, according to Adam Schefter:

Contract was 5 years and 95 million. I still cant believe he gets 19 million a year at the age of 36.

So that noodle-armed faggot needed to go up to the Rockies and it's thin air to throw a football?

What the fuck are the Donks thinking anyways? TebowManiacs are gonna come out it full force and probably put a contract out on Elway's head! John Elway just became a punch line in his own town!

I have never rooted for any of the Mannings a day in my life, and this assures that I won't for the rest of it as well! And Hali is gonna be collecting a bounty on Manning twice a year!

Hali and Houston will destroy this guy. No tackle in the league can block Hali and Manning is a statue that is gonna be sorry he didnt even want to talk to the Chiefs. I hope we sign Wimbley and have fuckers comin at him from all angles. Fuck Manning.

chiefbravebull wrote:

Hali and Houston will destroy this guy. No tackle in the league can block Hali and Manning is a statue that is gonna be sorry he didnt even want to talk to the Chiefs. I hope we sign Wimbley and have fuckers comin at him from all angles. Fuck Manning.

I'm a huge Manning fan but I agree with you! Time for Pain!

It is coming!

Crennels defenses are something like 6-3 vs Manning. Im not too concerned honestly. Denver doesnt have nearly the talent Indy did during their run. I think playing outdoors will really hurt Manning. Their OL is suspect. Thomas and Decker are alright recievers. They lack a good TE. Knowshon Moreno and McGahee arent great. Defensive play is inconsistant. They were awful at the start of the season last year, but stepped up near the end. They did add Jack Del Rio so im sure they will improve a little bit. I'd take our players over Manning honestly.

Our team top to bottom is way better than Denver.

Touchdown Bowe wrote:

Crennels defenses are something like 6-3 vs Manning. Im not too concerned honestly. Denver doesnt have nearly the talent Indy did during their run. I think playing outdoors will really hurt Manning. Their OL is suspect. Thomas and Decker are alright recievers. They lack a good TE. Knowshon Moreno and McGahee arent great. Defensive play is inconsistant. They were awful at the start of the season last year, but stepped up near the end. They did add Jack Del Rio so im sure they will improve a little bit. I'd take our players over Manning honestly.

Manning really screwed himself! The idiot should have went to the 49ers. They should have been in the SB last year. That team is stacked and has an awesome coach.

Manning to Denver: What they're saying

By Bill Williamson

Here are some reactions from ESPN’s network of analysts on the pending singing of Peyton Manning in Denver:

On Manning’s relationship with John Elway being a key part of the decision…

Peyton Manning's arrival immediately changes the expectations in Denver.
“What started out as a friendship between the two men -- them having played golf together before in the past -- grew over the course of the last 10 or so days, and I think without John Elway in the front office, the Broncos probably would not have been able to bring home Peyton Manning. That was probably the key element here.”

- NFL Insider Adam Schefter

“Everyone just got better, particularly on the offensive side. If you’re Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas, wide receivers, you are just thrilled, because the ball is going to come out with perfect timing in every single play. If you’re Knowshon Moreno or Willis McGahee or someone they draft, you know you’re always going to run into good looks, because if you get eight in the box, Peyton is going to get out [of] the play and throw the ball down the field. … Besides the skills set, the intelligence set, all players around him know they got a better quarterback.”

-- NFL studio analyst Ron Jaworski

On why Manning might have chosen Denver…

“Knowing Peyton Manning, he wants to be part of the process. It’s very important to him what the coaching staff is like, how flexible they are, how engaged they are in doing it maybe a different way, not just the way they’ve done it before. … Peyton is just smarter when it comes to football than most people in the NFL. His functional football intelligence is greater than 98 percent of the league. So, he sees things a little bit differently. He wants to go somewhere where he knows he can put his fingerprint on it, that the organization will support him, and I think Denver was probably the best fit from day one. … Peyton Manning makes everybody around him better. Not just players. He makes coaches better. He makes front-office people better. He puts everybody at a heightened awareness, and they do their jobs more efficiently and more diligently when he’s in the building.”

-- NFL studio analyst Trent Dilfer

“We can all speculate on why he made the decision. I think there’s no doubt that what he has in mind is to end his career by winning the Super Bowl. John [Elway] was able, along with [Broncos owner] Pat Bowlen, to sell that to Peyton Manning.”

-- NFL analyst and former Broncos linebacker Tom Jackson

On what the addition of Manning means to the Broncos and the NFL overall…

“He can really make a big huge difference for this team. It’s not just the one incremental step to the Super Bowl. If he can take this team to the Super Bowl, it really says ‘I did it.’ … There’s a lot of upside there for Peyton, and a nice comfortable fit. … This is a team -- young coaches that obviously can make adjustments. I think Peyton will be very careful. I don’t think he’s going to come in and break a lot of glass, but he will be collaborative and make sure he does his system.

“It’s going to force the whole country to kind of look west, and that will be good for everybody in the AFC West, but it will be a balance of power. Peyton Manning doesn’t have five or six, seven years to do this. He needs to do it now. The immediate result of him coming to Denver is Denver now needs to go win a Super Bowl -- quickly. That’ll be the story of the year. It will be interesting to see how quickly they do manage to get into the playoffs. They got into the playoffs with Tim Tebow. Now can they extend that with Peyton Manning?”

-- NFL analyst Steve Young

On how the Broncos will measure success with Peyton Manning …

“In the next two or three years, if they don’t win the division and win a playoff game, then it didn’t work. … The pieces are in place to be successful going forward throwing the football. Those pieces were not in place with Tebow.”

– "Monday Night Football" play-by-play voice Mike Tirico on ESPN Radio’s "Scott Van Pelt Show"

On what’s next for Tim Tebow with the Broncos’ addition of Manning …

“They’re going to try to do anything they can do to trade him. Ultimately, from a football perspective, if you talk to football people within this league, I don’t think any football people really want him on their football team … I don’t think they want to deal with the circus that is Tim Tebow, and also the fact that he doesn’t have the quarterbacking skills necessary to play in this league … I think the guy’s a good football player. I don’t think there’s any question about that. I don’t think he’s a good quarterback. I don’t think he has the skill set that you have to have to play quarterback in this league. And there’s a lot of teams, I mean, let’s face it -- I live in Denver -- I saw that circus on a week-to-week basis in person. And there’s not too many teams I think that really want to deal with that in their city.”

-- NFL analyst Mark Schlereth, a two-time Broncos Super Bowl champion who still lives in the Denver area

“The more I studied him in an NFL setting, the more disturbed I was that he has no clue what he’s looking at. His IQ as a football player is not very good. That is why they have to come down and make it some [kind] of a college-form system that he’s comfortable with in Florida. He can’t execute, from a cerebral aspect, a pro-style system.”

-- NFL analyst Merril Hoge

Tebow is a joke. we only had the 2nd worts starting QB til Denver got Manning

Teams were pre-qualified by Manning prior to any visits. When Condon was contacted by the 12 teams, he told them that the contract Manning was starting at was 5 for 90 and going from there.

Teams either had to say in or out at that point.

From there, Manning narrowed his selections.

So much for the Championships meaning more than the Money. If he wanted a Championship he goes to the 49ers or KC IMO. I hope this move hurts the donkeys in the long run. Short term too actually. Hope they trade Tebow and Manning gets hurt right away.

I seriously see Manning getting hurt and struggling to stay healthy. They did just buy a ton of national attention too though. Crennel knows how to give Manning fits. He will struggle to beat us twice a year. I dont think that with the roster they have that they can beat us even with Manning. He has one decent target to throw too in Thomas. Decker is an ok possesion guy but isnt a real serious threat good luck Manning. You are all about the money and a douche if you say other wise. Hali is going to haunt you for life.

I wish we'd play Denver week one.

Or at least when we do play them, Manning gets seriously hurt(if he even lasts to that game), and Brady Quinn is our starter by then and just rocks them.

Oh my god that is a dream scenario.

I thought Manning had all the money we wanted by now and was playing to win another Championship. Nope! This was all about the money. Wow! I read that when Pioli called him that they spoke and Manning said he had a plan which wouldn't include the Chiefs. He was looking to get paid again. Denver guaranteed the 1st two years of his deal without playing a snap. He can also collect the last 2 years up front in year 3 if hes still around.

AFC West quarterback rankings

By Bill Williamson

Philip Rivers is no longer the best quarterback is in the division. Rivers is still an elite quarterback, but when one of the best players ever to play the position enters the division, thing change.

With Peyton Manning joining the division, let’s rank the four starting quarterbacks in the division:

1. Manning: He is going to be 36 this weekend and he missed all of the 2011 season due to a neck injury. Still, the Broncos are convinced Manning’s best days are not behind him. If he is anything close to the old Manning, the Broncos will be in business.

2. Rivers: Rivers is a great quarterback, but he won’t get fully recognized until he wins a Super Bowl. He now has to face one of his greatest competitors twice a season.

3. Carson Palmer, Oakland: If Palmer has a resurgence and he gets comfortable in Oakland this will be a great quarterback division. If he doesn’t totally rebound, he’s still a solid starter.

4. Matt Cassel, Kansas City: Cassel is one of the better bottom-of-the-division quarterbacks and he has a terrific supporting cast. He can be effective, but he is not better than Palmer at this point.

I'm already tired of seeing the AFC West QB rankings Bill!

Our defense is the best in the division, so that knocks them all down a few pegs. Crennel knows how to give Manning hell and now he gets to do it twice a year. If Manning even lasts that long the selfish ass.