Peyton Manning to the Washington Redskins: Same Mistakes, Different Year

Peyton Manning rumors are flying around the internet faster than a strong safety on a delayed blitz. It seems he may be going to Washington to play for the Redskins.

Hooray?  Not in the Least. 

Let's start with the obvious.  This is what the Redskins did with Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders and several other formerly great, Hall of Fame caliber players.  It's infuriating to believe we haven't learned our lesson!   Washington is where heroes come to collect one more check, not put together one more Superbowl appearance.

Peyton is a future Hall of Fame inductee, no doubt about it, but he's 36 years old!  His best days are behind him. He would be the second oldest starting quarterback in the league, unless Hasselbeck loses his job to Locker, than Peyton would be the oldest.

Armando Salguero wrote in the Miami Herald today that Peyton Manning is:

"

...35 years old now and will be 36 next month. That's about the time Dan Marino started his precipitous and sudden decline. Montana, too. Troy Aikman was done by age 34. Steve Young was done by 38. Warren Moon had his last excellent season at 36, although he hung on a couple of more years, toiling in mediocrity.

"

Now add on three neck surgeries.  Tack on top of that nerve damage in his throwing arm.  Compound this with muscle loss due to that damage and what do you have?  You have a washout.  You have a quarterback that should retire. 

You have the classic Washington Redskins big name screw up.

Let me be as blunt as possible—I'd rather have Rex Grossman as my starter.  Can I be any more plain in my dislike for this possibility?

Is that the guy the Redskins can count on to turn the franchise around?  Of course not, so why bother getting him at all?  He's one Pierre-Paul or DeMarcus Ware sack away from permanent injury.  One bad hit from a guy he has to face twice a season from being sent to the hospital.  This is not hyperbole, this is a fact.

Just say no to Peyton Manning. Please Mr. Snyder, Mr. Allen and Mr. Shanahan, just say no.