Collegiate Times

Peyton Manning

Following a somber and frankly depressing exit in Indianapolis, Peyton Manning quickly became the most prized free agent in NFL history. Andrew Luck became the heir-apparent to Manning’s throne, leaving the legend to choose which franchise is worthy of his services.

A number of teams are doing everything they can to get Peyton to sign on the dotted line, and Peyton will get to hand-pick where it is he wants to go. The following are a number of destinations for the future Hall of Famer.

Kansas City Chiefs

Although Manning hasn’t visited Kansas City yet and there have been reports that the team may be out of the running, it would still make a lot of sense for him to go there.

The Chiefs play in the AFC West, which is easily the weakest division in football, and Manning would be able to come in and make the division his own. Manning would inherit a strong, young defense led by star safety Eric Berry, as well as a number of offensive weapons in tight end Tony Moeaki and wide receivers Steve Breaston and Dwayne Bowe. Also, with superstar running back Jamaal Charles coming back after an injury, the Chiefs' offense could be deadly.

If Manning went to Kansas City, the Chiefs would immediately become favorites in a very poor division. 

Tennessee Titans

Titans owner Bud Adams recently stated he’s interested in bringing in Manning, but it isn’t a realistic move. The Titans have a quarterback for the present in Matt Hasselbeck and the future in Jake Locker. After years of sharing a division, it’s unlikely Manning will go to the team he’s so accustomed to beating.

Denver Broncos

Apparent front-runners for Manning, the Denver Broncos would upgrade tremendously at quarterback, a position currently held by Tim Tebow. However, Denver may not be as great of a destination as it seems.  

The Bronco’s offense was recently tailored to suit the (in)abilities of Tebow. No team ran the ball more frequently or effectively than Denver last season. But Manning is used to throwing as he pleases, which means either he or Denver’s coaches would have to change their ways.

However, there are reasons why Manning may select Denver. The Broncos' defense showed flashes of brilliance last year, and their offense has a number of young weapons in Eddie Royal, Demaryius Thomas and the ageless Willis McGahee. Similar to Kansas City, if Manning comes to town, the Broncos would be the favorites to the division.

Although Manning may end up wanting to work with John Elway, it may not be as great of a fit as it seems.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins would need to overtake the Patriots and Tom Brady if they want to become playoff contenders in the AFC East, and who better to knock him off than Manning, his longtime rival?

Manning owns a home in Miami, so he knows how great the weather and atmosphere is. And the Dolphins boast a young team full of potential. Miami's defense is serviceable, and Manning would definitely make up for the team's flaws.

An inability to win close games was the Dolphins’ Achilles heel last season, so they still have potential to be a good team. Reggie Bush looked more like the player he was supposed to be last year, and Manning would have a number of receiving weapons such as Davone Bess, Brian Hartline and Brandon Marshall, who’s one the best when he’s on his game. Throw in the security of knowing he has Jake Long blocking for him and Manning would feel right at home in South Beach.

Continue Reading: 12 Next » 

A version of this article appeared in the Mar 13 issue of the Collegiate Times.