Peyton Manning Trade Rumors: New York Jets Lead Pack of Interested Teams

If the Indianapolis Colts make Peyton Manning available this offseason, whether via trade or by releasing him, many teams are sure to be interested. But one franchise that reportedly has interest is the New York Jets, and they have to be considered the front-runners at this point.

Despite Rex Ryan's steadfast support for quarterback Mark Sanchez, the Jets actually make a ton of sense for Manning—though I seriously doubt anyone will trade for Manning because of the ridiculous five-year, $90 million contract he signed before the season. That might be almost impossible for any team to swallow, which means the Colts will probably have to release the four-time MVP if they want to get rid of him.

The Jets have a competitive roster, and if someone could bring stability to what is clearly a toxic locker-room situation, they might be back in line as a Super Bowl contender. Manning has the leadership ability and garners the kind of respect around the league to be able to get selfish players in line. 

If things in New York's locker room were half as bad as rookie quarterback Greg McElroy has claimed, some kind of radical change is necessary for the franchise. Bringing in Manning might be just the type of change the team needs. 

While the Jets have a lot of money committed to Sanchez, and the 25-year-old certainly has the tools to become an elite quarterback, he has been far too inconsistent for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. 

Teams with shaky quarterback situations like the Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins will all surely inquire about Manning. But as of now, the Jets have the best roster of any of his potential destinations.