Ranking the 5 Most Likely Teams Peyton Manning Could Play for in 2012

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been the subject of much speculation in the last few months, and that's only set to increase as we inch ever-closer to the 2012 NFL draft.

It's now clear that the Colts will be drafting Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with their No. 1 overall pick, making Manning's status with his long-time team even murkier.

In the following slides, I detail five teams Manning could end up playing for in 2012, if he's healthy enough to do so.

Indianapolis Colts

It's not a foregone conclusion that quarterback Peyton Manning will be taking his talents elsewhere in 2012 if the Indianapolis Colts draft Stanford's Andrew Luck. If healthy, he could ostensibly start for the Colts again this year.

Manning's future with his team will depend upon what he and owner Jim Irsay decide to do about the $28 million roster bonus due him in early March.

If Irsay simply chooses not to pay it to Manning, then his time in Indianapolis is over. However, if they can find a way to push back the date it is owed to him or restructure it entirely, it bodes well for his chances to remain with the team for at least one more season.

First and foremost, if Manning plays anywhere in 2012, it's most likely the Colts. His status hinges upon that aforementioned bonus as well as his health. If he's healthy, the Colts are likely to retain him. If he's not healthy, then he won't be shopping himself around to other teams in search of a new contract; in fact, he could even retire.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals' quarterback situation is similar to that of the Washington Redskins last year. The choice between starting John Skelton or Kevin Kolb is easily comparable to the Redskins' choice to stick with John Beck and Rex Grossman in 2011.

Considering how well that worked out for Washington, the Cardinals may want to look for an established veteran to take over the position for at least a season or two. And if Peyton Manning is available, word is that they would be interested.

The only concern would be the cost. With the Cardinals owing a king's ransom to Kolb—he signed a five-year, $63.5 million contract this year that includes $21 million guaranteed, and he's set to receive a whopping $10 million in 2012—it will be hard for them to come up with the money to pay Manning while also justifying keeping such an expensive backup on the bench.

The Cardinals may have some success moving Kolb's mega contract, with some speculation the Cleveland Browns could have some interest in bringing him into their squad.

If Manning ends up in Arizona, then look for Kolb to be traded away. Otherwise, there's little chance they'd be willing to pay both quarterbacks, no matter what the rewards may ultimately be.

Cleveland Browns

If the Cleveland Browns don't make a move for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, perhaps they'll choose to court Peyton Manning instead.

The Colt McCoy experiment appears to be on its last legs, with the 2010 third-round pick throwing for fewer than 3,000 yards in his 13 games as a starter this season.

He's not a viable long-term option at starting quarterback, and with so few first-round, ready-to-start quarterbacks in the NFL draft this year, they may be looking to a veteran to turn things around.

With a talented quarterback—and higher-quality targets for him to throw to—the Browns could easily become a contender in the very difficult AFC North.

What Cleveland really needs, of course, is a long-term starter. They haven't had stability at the position for well over a decade, and it's the number one reason they've struggled for so long.

Manning would provide an improvement at quarterback for Cleveland, but only in the short-term. That's the only reason I feel that Cleveland might take a pass on Manning should his services become available, but I wouldn't be surprised if they kick his tires some.

Washington Redskins

If the Washington Redskins don't manage to nab Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III in the 2012 NFL draft, they'd be a prime candidate to make a play for Peyton Manning if he's no longer a Colt and able to play in 2012.

The Redskins made a major misstep in 2011 by not drafting a quarterback and instead relying on Rex Grossman and John Beck to lead them to wins. Instead, they ended the year at 5-11 and with a serious need to find a long-term solution at quarterback.

While Manning doesn't represent that solution, the propensity for the Redskins and their owner Dan Snyder to spend large sums of money on veteran players makes it seem likely the team would be willing to give Manning a big, though short, contract.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have little hope to draft an elite quarterback in 2012, but they do need a solution at the position in the immediate future.

Depending on who they choose to hire as head coach, that man might be enticed by the possibility of Peyton Manning becoming a free agent in the offseason and extend him an offer.

Injured former starter Chad Henne will likely land with another team, as he's an unrestricted free agent this year, and Matt Moore—while surprisingly not as bad as he could have been this year—doesn't engender a lot of confidence in a long-term role.

Manning's health raises a lot of questions. Even if he is able to play in 2012, it's not clear how effective he will be nor if that could prove to be his last attempt to play.

He could get injured again, his neck could be less than 100 percent for the rest of his career and he may not be interested in taking a position with a new team.

However, Miami provides him with some solid receiving weapons, a fanbase that would be happy to have him and a favorable climate. While the Dolphins would have to continue searching for their quarterback of the future, there are far worse quarterbacks of the present they could try to attract.