2012 NFL Free Agents: Why Jets Pusuit of Peyton Manning Could Backfire Big-Time

Teams across the National Football League are anxiously awaiting the press conference scheduled for noon Eastern on Wednesday, when the Indianapolis Colts will reportedly release quarterback Peyton Manning.

That being said, for one of the many teams said to be interested in pursuing the four-time MVP, the risks involved may outweigh the potential rewards.

The New York Jets are one of the teams that are said to be preparing to make a run at the 14-year veteran. While teams can't specifically comment about Manning so long as he remains under contract with the Colts, New York head coach Rex Ryan was certainly open to at least the possibility of taking a look at Manning when asked about it at last month's NFL Scouting Combine.

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We will do always what’s in the best interest of our organization. For us, that means we are going to be prepared. We’re going to look at any possibility that is out there.

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Assuming for a moment that Manning will be healthy and ready to play when the season starts (which is a "healthy" sized assumption, given his multiple neck surgeries) he would undoubtedly be a welcome addition to most of the teams in the National Football League. However, there are a couple reasons why the Jets might be well advised to tread lightly where their pursuit of Peyton Manning is concerned.

First, there's no telling how much interest Manning—who will be free to choose his landing spot—has in joining the Jets, bombastic head coach Rex Ryan and a locker room that was the definition of dysfunctional a season ago.

One team source told the New York Daily News, via NFL.com: "Why would Peyton Manning want to come to the circus?"

Indeed, that circus would extend well past the New York locker room. The tabloid frenzy created by the elder Manning joining younger brother Eli in the media cauldron that is the Big Apple would create a firestorm.

Manning's agent, Tom Condon, may try to steer his client clear of this, according to a report by Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network.

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I don’t think it’s very realistic at all. Talking to general managers and other people around the league, they don’t think Tom Condon, Peyton’s agent, will ultimately put him with the Jets. You would have the situation with him and (Eli Manning), and there’s already that rivalry there. You have the tabloid culture in New York. You have a team that slipped, the running game wasn’t there. …

You don’t have a lot of playmakers there right now. The defense slipped. And there will be other options, probably, that make more sense for Peyton Manning. I don’t see it happening.

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Finally, there's the small matter of the fact that the Jets already have a starting quarterback.

Three-year veteran Mark Sanchez had the best statistical season of his career last year, but bore much of the brunt for the Jets' disappointing 2011. Furthermore, if the team make a serious push at Manning, it could burn any remaining bridges with Sanchez. This could create a situation where the Jets are left with a starter under center that they've shown they don't really want, as an unnamed member of the organization told the New York Daily News.

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Can you imagine if word gets out that we’re trying to get Peyton Manning and then we don’t get Peyton Manning?. Then we have to play with Sanchez?

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Early indications would seem to point towards the Jets indeed trying to get Manning, but if the Jets are serious, they had better go "all-in." That is, load up a green and white truck with green and white paper, polish up one hell of a sales pitch and convince Peyton that there's room in the City That Never Sleeps for two Manning quarterbacks.

If they fail in their plan, Gang Green could easily find that by the time the season starts, their locker room has developed gangrene.

As character Omar Little put it best on "the Wire"..."If you come at the king, you best not miss."

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