Peyton Manning Rumors: Manning Would Make Miami Dolphins AFC East Contenders

If the Miami Dolphins want to stop serving as the third wheel in the AFC East, a massive upgrade at the quarterback position is necessary. Peyton Manning would certainly provide that boost and still has enough left in the tank to make the Dolphins a contender.

Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel reports Manning even has Miami on his shortlist should he be released by the Indianapolis Colts during the offseason:

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An NFL source says Miami is on the short list of teams Manning would like to play for when/if the Colts release him to avoid paying a $28 million bonus, which is due on March 8.

Manning and his wife own a condo on South Beach and a source said they'd love to relocate to South Florida if the fit is right. A second source confirmed Manning's interest in the Dolphins.

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With concerns about Manning's neck fading away, the only worry now is if he'll ever regain the zip on his passes he had during his prime. It's a risk the Dolphins should be more than willing to take after suffering through a season of Matt Moore and Chad Henne.

The rest of the Dolphins roster is already good enough to make a run for the playoffs, especially after the emergence of Reggie Bush in the season's second half. Manning would love having a dynamic playmaker in the backfield to take some pressure off him.

They also have a legitimate No. 1 receiver in Brandon Marshall. He was able to total more than 1,200 yards despite subpar quarterback play. There would be no reason for him not to have a truly dominant season if Manning was throwing him passes.

Then there's the defense, which finished sixth in points allowed this season. Manning rarely got that help from his defense in Indianapolis, and he needed to navigate the team into the lead for his pass rushers to be most effective.

Giving him a unit like Miami's that will provide support should it take a couple weeks for him to get back up to speed is a scary proposition.

More important than any of those points would be the mental edge the team would immediately receive upon Manning's arrival. It's a daunting task to face Tom Brady twice per season knowing your quarterback has no chance of keeping pace with the Patriots' gunslinger.

Manning would give the Dolphins a chance to enter those marquee matchups with a much higher level of confidence. It would give them a major advantage over both the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills at the position as well.

If the Colts officially decide to cut ties with Manning at some point in the next month, the Dolphins should be the first team on his doorstep offering him whatever he wants should he pass a physical.

It's the type of impact move the Dolphins must make to become relevant again.