2012 NFL Free Agency: 7 Reasons Why Peyton Manning Is Worth Medical Risk

Everybody knows the saying: When one door closes, another one opens.

Peyton Manning wasn't ready for the door to close in Indianapolis, but the Colts were stuck in a precarious situation. They made the decision to release the future Hall of Famer Wednesday in a press conference, in which Manning and owner Jim Irsay were both teary-eyed and in attendance. 

A move that seemed inevitable for some time has now come to fruition. The Peyton Manning sweepstakes has now begun.

Nearly every team without a completely dependable quarterback has been linked in some shape or form to Manning. Whichever team pulls the trigger and nets the 35-year-old will instantly be one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL.

Let's take a look at why your team should roll the dice on Manning. 

7. He Doesn't Demand Top Talent

The Colts were an eyesore before Manning arrived. He was able to turn things around virtually by himself and make the players around him into stars.

Marvin Harrison was the only polished player around Manning when he arrived in Indianapolis. In his time there, he took receiving corps with players like Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie and Jacob Tamme, and played lights out with them. 

That's not a knock on those players. They would all agree that being thrown to by Manning made them significantly better. 

Although it would help, a team doesn't need a big Calvin Johnson-like receiver to lure Manning in. They just need depth of young talent on offense for him to be able to coach up and turn into stars. 

6. He Knows How to Turn Things Around

When Manning joined the Colts, they were headed in the wrong direction in nearly every aspect of their game and were just coming off a 3-13 season. 

Manning was thrown into the fire, starting immediately for the Colts in 1998. They struggled and went 3-13 yet again, but rebounded in 1999 to go 13-3. This was the biggest one-year turnaround in NFL history. 

In his 13 seasons as the Colts starter, Manning took them to the playoffs 11 times. That's production that nearly no team can boast. 

5. Smartest Player in NFL History

Before America knew Peyton as a cultural icon, they were accustomed to his voice from his loud audibles on nearly every play.

The Colts offense was pretty much run by Manning during his time there. Coaches would call the plays based on what Manning would call, but he would usually change it based on what he saw.

The coaches never had a problem with it. Why? Because it worked.

Manning will tell you as much as anyone that his success in the NFL has as much to do with his pregame and pre-snap reads than his athletic ability. His neck may need special care, but I guarantee you he is as smart as ever. 

He may even be smarter than he was before, after sitting out for a year and seeing things from a different perspective. 

4. Still Got Plenty Left in the Tank

While being 35 years old isn't an advantage by any means, it doesn't change much of what Manning wants to be able to do on the field: Analyze, throw and win.

We've seen many quarterbacks inspire with a late-career surge for a different team (see: Brett Favre). With Manning's intangibles and raw will to win, he may have as many as five or six good years left if his neck heals. 

3. Elite QBs Hard to Find

Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers (in no particular order). 

These are the only players guaranteed to be elite quarterbacks through a regular season in the NFL. Others come and go, but these four have been miles ahead of a regular starting quarterback for many years (with the exception of Rodgers, who has only been a starter for a few years). 

Many teams in the Manning sweepstakes have solid quarterbacks who could propel their team to the playoffs. Although, nobody has done quite what Manning has in his time as a professional quarterback.

2. Immediate Fanbase Boost

That look on Jim Irsay's face is his reaction to half of the Colts fanbase walking out on him.

Manning turned Indianapolis from a nothing-but-basketball afterthought to a perennial Super Bowl contender and one of the most electrifying and loyal fanbases in the league. The fans tried to embody what Peyton was all about: loyalty, hard work, determination and good decisions.

Aside from a nagging neck, there isn't one thing to dislike about Manning. He wins with class. He loses with class. 

Most everyone who has followed Manning throughout his career will find at least a tiny bit of extra respect for his new team. 

1. His Resume

Four-time MVP. Eleven-time Pro Bowler. Eight-time All-Pro. Fastest player to reach 50,000 passing yards and 4,000 completions. Fourth-most wins as a quarterback in NFL history.  

Is it just me or is it insane that he only has one Super Bowl victory?

Whatever team inherits Manning will bring with them one of the top 10 best players in NFL history. With the amount of consistent production he has amassed in his career, two or more Super Bowls should supplant him as THE best player to ever play the game.