Peyton Manning Rumors: Colts Legend Wise To Keep Options Open

Fine, if the Indianapolis Colts don't want Peyton Manning, there are about 20 other NFL teams that would die to have him. 

Manning will no doubt have the pick of the litter if he is released as many speculate he will be. Mike Florio of NBC Sports reports that Manning isn't totally against playing for another team next season. 

Via USA Today, Peyton Manning's agent Tom Condon relayed the following, "Peyton is under contract. If that changes, we’ll consider the options."

The Colts superstar may be forced to leave and take his ball elsewhere. As Florio writes, the plot that was already filled to the brim with melodrama, gets all the more rife with the stuff. 

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Asked about...Rob Lowe “reporting” that Peyton will retire, Condon called the issue “[v]ery unusual, considering that Peyton doesn’t know him.”

But Lowe knows Irsay. And Condon’s words could be interpreted as a shrewd effort to pin responsibility for the erroneous (and maybe wishful) retirement report on Irsay.

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There is no shortage of teams that would jump at the chance to upgrade with Manning. Florio offers the Cardinals and Dolphins as major players if Manning is on the open market. The Jets could be in the mix as well. 

Manning may not have earned a lifetime stay as the Colts starting quarterback, but he certainly has the keys to the city that is the NFL. 

The only thing that has to be proved is his health. For the Colts, they may be running out of time for such things to be proven. 

With the draft in April, Manning is still working and trying to get healthy. There is no guarantee that he will make it back in time for next season, or what form he will be in when he gets there. 

Owner Jim Irsay has a valuable trade chip in Manning, but would dare not use it. He couldn't stand being the villain that traded away the cornerstone to the Indianapolis franchise. 

Instead, he is far more interested in waiting Manning out in the hope that he retires. If not, Irsay will be on the hook for $28 million and has until March 8th to decide the Colts' fate. 

This tale is far from finished and will have far more twists and turns before the spring. The only thing we know for sure is that Manning has plenty of interested parties if he decides to continue playing past his stay with Indy. 

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