Silverman: It's Obvious That Broncos Would Love To Move Peyton Manning
By Steve Silverman
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Would the Denver Broncos like to trade Peyton Manning to the Houston Texans, or anyone else?
You bet they would.
It's not that the Broncos have full confidence in backup Brock Osweiler. However, there is plenty of trepidation around the team about Manning's ability to play consistently during a 16-game regular season.
Denver radio station 94.1 FM reported that the Broncos tried to trade Manning to the Texans during the offseason, and that report was quickly denied by the Broncos and Manning's agent, Tom Condon. The Texans were conspicuously silent on the proposed transaction.
If the report is true, it means that both sides talked about compensation and assets, with a determination of what each side would receive. In this situation, it apparently did not go that far.
However, was a call made from Denver to Houston in which Manning's name was mentioned? It is almost certain that the discussion occurred in the last couple of months.
Manning is near the very end of his career. He was a shell of himself at the end of the 2014 season when leg injuries robbed him of his ability to move around comfortably in the pocket and prevented him from putting the zip on the ball to get it downfield to his receivers.
Medium- and long-range passes were taken out of the Denver game plan over the last four weeks of the season and during the Broncos' playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Manning simply couldn't propel the ball the way he has throughout his Hall of Fame career.
(For the record, Joe Montana is No. 1, Johnny Unitas is No. 2 and Manning is third, ranking slightly better than Tom Brady.)
Recent reports indicated that Manning has recovered from last season's injuries, and he has regained his mobility. He is also throwing the ball better than he did last year, when his bullet passes had been reduced to soft pillows.
The big issue is that Manning's 39-year-old body has taken incredible abuse throughout his long career, and he will be in harm's way from the time he steps on the field in Week 1 when the Broncos host the Baltimore Ravens. Presumably, the Broncos will be able to protect Manning throughout training camp and the preseason, but there are no guarantees that he will stay healthy during the summer.
However, once the Ravens start taking aim at him, followed by the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, it's just a matter of time before he takes the huge hits that either send him to the sidelines or reduce his effectiveness.
If you know it and I know it, the Broncos know it as well. Manning can stay in the lineup and play fairly effectively until that happens, but his ability to bounce back from a huge hit has been reduced by the aging process.
So, the Broncos would like to eliminate the risk of losing one of their most important assets through injury. They would rather move him in a trade before the season than have him get hurt during the most critical point in the season.
He may have a no-trade clause in his contract, but that can be discussed and overcome.
If new Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak is going to have any long-term success in Denver, it's not going to be with Manning at quarterback. How can Manning last a full season at this point in his career? If a miracle happens and he does survive, how long before he calls it a career?
The handwriting is on the wall, and it is as clear as John Hancock's signature. The tank is nearly empty for Manning, and he does not have a future.
The Broncos are better off moving him in June or July – before training camp begins – than having him on the team this year. His conditioning and health will be an issue from the moment he reports to camp.
The Broncos denied that trade talks took place, and they may not be lying. It might not have gotten that far. But would John Elway get on the phone with anyone who was interested in acquiring Manning? Of course he would.