Why Washington Redskins Should Target Matt Flynn, Not Peyton Manning

There have been reports that the Washington Redskins are keen on signing quarterback Peyton Manning if he is released by the Indianapolis Colts. While some are no doubt excited about the prospect of adding a four-time MVP to the team, the Redskins should pause and consider other options before committing to a guy who will turn 36 this offseason and has injury issues.

The Redskins are reportedly enamored with Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, but there is no guarantee he will be on the board when their first-round selection (No. 6) comes around. With no other quarterbacks in the 2012 draft worthy of a Top 10 selection, Washington has some serious thinking to do.

I personally think Manning is a terrible fit for the Redskins. He isn't a long-term solution, his health is a huge question mark and the team isn't close to being a Super Bowl contender. Coming off of a 5-11 season and playing in the extremely tough NFC East, Washington has to focus on building a contender, not making one big splash and praying for a turnaround.

Why not focus on a guy like Green Bay Packers backup Matt Flynn, who everyone seems to agree is ready to step into a starting role? Flynn is just 26 years old, has been Aaron Rodgers' understudy for four years and when he played this season, he looked fantastic.

He could be the perfect guy for the Redskins to build around on offense. With Flynn, running back Roy Helu and tight end Fred Davis in the fold, Washington would have a solid nucleus on that side of the ball. They could then use the No. 6 pick in the draft to score a top offensive lineman (like Reilly Reiff) to strengthen that unit or grab a playmaker on the perimeter like receiver Justin Blackmon. 

A young grouping like that probably wouldn't be a contender at first, but given the chance to grow together, they could turn into a formidable bunch. Given that the Redskins defense is already a solid unit, a young, developing offense could make the team dangerous.

Someone like Flynn, who would no doubt be willing to learn from head coach Mike Shanahan, seems like a much better fit to me than Manning.