Silverman: Top Lineman's Injury Should Serve As Warning To Peyton Manning To Retire
By Steve Silverman
» More Columns
The news of Ryan Clady's torn ACL is bad news for the Denver Broncos and even worse news for Peyton Manning.
Manning supporters may remember that Clady was injured for the majority of the 2013 season and the quarterback responded with off-the-chart numbers on his way to an MVP season. Manning basically raised the bar for all quarterbacks that year as he completed 450 of 659 passes for 5,477 yards with 55 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
The Broncos rolled over the AFC and it was a magical season – until it ended in disaster at Super Bowl XLVIII against the Seattle Seahawks.
The 2015 season does not offer any of that kind of promise for the Broncos and Manning. The Broncos were sputtering and coughing on offense at the end of last season, and they parted company with head coach John Fox. The 39-year-old Manning was just a shell of what he had been throughout the majority of his career, as he struggled to throw any pass of medium depth with the kind of velocity needed to be successful.
Manning was not 100 percent as injuries that accumulated throughout the 2014 season and during his Hall of Fame career had taken a huge toll.
There was every reason to believe that Manning would decide to retire when the Broncos' season came to an end following their divisional playoff loss at home to the Indianapolis Colts.
That's because Manning has always been the sharpest of leaders who understood what he had to work with and where he stood within the NFL's hierarchy. However, he took his time after the season and he decided to come back and try to play for one more season under new coach Gary Kubiak.
What we don't know is how many times Manning went back and forth before making his decision public. The fact that Kubiak is a former quarterback who understands what it's like to play in the latter stages of a career helped Manning make his decision. However, the decision could prove disastrous before the season reaches the midway point.
Age and injuries have had their impact on Manning, and while he has thrived since leaving the Colts, the end is getting closer and closer.
The presence of Clady at the left tackle position represented security for Manning and was also an example for the rest of the offensive line to follow. Clady is an excellent technician when healthy, and his ability to protect Manning's blind side was a given for the Broncos.
The Broncos may or may not find an adequate substitute for Clady, and they certainly have time to do it. But Denver doesn't have anywhere near the firepower that it did in 2013 and to think that Manning is going to be able to come anywhere close to his 2013 production level is folly.
Somehow, Manning convinced himself that he can continue to produce at a high level for a full 16-game season. While he may be able to get close to his previous levels in training camp and at the start of the season, it's staying in good playing condition that seems impossible.
Throughout the majority of his career, Manning has excelled at avoiding huge hits despite never having notable foot speed. His ability to get rid of the ball quickly and fake out on-rushing defensive linemen and linebackers keyed his ability to avoid major punishment.
That's not possible any longer. He is going to get hit and those hits are going to hurt and limit his ability to throw the ball the way he has for so many years.
The loss of his brilliant left tackle underscores how impossible this season is going to be for him.
He may feel like he has committed to the team for another year and can't back away. That's because he is a man of honor and always has been.
But this is one time he needs to be completely honest with himself and realize what he is no longer capable of doing on the football field.
If he doesn't, he appears to be on inevitable road to disaster in 2015.
Follow Steve on Twitter at @ProFootballBoy