Peyton Manning Rumors: Kansas City Chiefs Provide Best Chance to Save Career

Peyton Manning may not have a future in Indianapolis, but the Kansas City Chiefs would make for a nice, soft landing spot if he does become available. 

Elliot Harrison of NFL.com has complied a list of five reasons why the Chiefs and Manning are a perfect fit.

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Why? Because, due to a slip of the tongue, the Kansas City Chiefs are getting some run in the Peyton Manning sweepstakes -- a potential pairing that should have been mentioned weeks ago. Kansas City, at least in my mind, has always been the best destination for Manning. There just haven't been many facts to go on. Yet, there is circumstantial evidence. 

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Harrison cites availability, organizational leeway, ancillary parts to attract player, great place to play and familiarity as the reasons Manning will be a fit in Kansas City. 

We know that they are interested, at least to some extent. 

With less than one week to go before we reach the March 8 deadline for the Indianapolis Colts to give Manning a $28 million roster bonus or release him, Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel made it public knowledge that the team would pursue the future Hall of Famer if he became available. 

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I'm not supposed to talk about anybody else's players, and he's still a player with Indianapolis. But with a talent like that, I would be crazy not to consider it if he were available. I'll leave it at that.

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Whether the NFL thinks that was tampering or not, it is clear that the Chiefs would like to upgrade the quarterback position if the right player becomes available. 

Manning has to go to a situation that is close to competing for a Super Bowl and will provide him with an offensive line capable of protecting him from big hits. 

As long as they are able to re-sign wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, the Chiefs can pitch Manning on the idea of playing with a great nucleus of Bowe, Jamaal Charles—who will be coming back from ACL surgery—and a strong offensive line that could get upgraded in the draft. 

Unlike other teams that have been mentioned—primarily the Miami Dolphins—the Chiefs are going to compete in their division, they have already been to the playoffs without a star at the quarterback position and there is no instability with the owner, general manager and the rest of the front office. 

Plus, looking at the other teams in the AFC West, there is no dominant team that provides a major threat to the Chiefs. If Manning were to play in Miami, he would have to deal with New England, New York and an improving Buffalo team. 

We don't know how Manning is going to hold up physically, or if he will be able to play next season, but if he can, the Chiefs look like the best fit among the teams that have been mentioned.

He can bring a swagger back to that team, and they would give him the opportunity that he needs to resurrect his legendary career. 

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