2012 NFL Free Agents: Projecting Where Peyton Manning and Free Agent QBs Land

Open season on NFL free agents doesn't officially begin until next week, though the market is already aflutter now that Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts have parted ways.

Still, the crop of quality quarterbacks remains short on surefire starters, particularly in light of the New Orleans Saints slapping Drew Brees with the franchise tag earlier this week.

So where will the top signal callers wind up when all is said and done?

Peyton Manning: Miami Dolphins

If Marshall Faulk is right, and Peyton is truly determined not to impede Eli's path back to the Super Bowl, then his list of realistic suitors can be reasonably pared down to, let's say, half of the AFC.

That would include the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs, the New York Jets, the Tennessee Titans, the Houston Texans, the Miami Dolphins and even the Denver Broncos.

A move within the AFC South, to either the Titans or the Texans, would likely afford Manning the best opportunity to win right away—Tennessee nearly cracked the playoffs this past season, and Houston was but a competent (and healthy) quarterback shy of making a serious run at the Super Bowl.

That being said, the 'Fins appear to be the front runners to secure Peyton's signature at this point. Their owner, Stephen Ross, wants Manning desperately, and some industrious fans have gone so far as to entice Manning to come to South Beach with a website and billboards about town.

Surely, it'll take more than that to dress Manning in turquoise and orange, though surrounding him with a solid offensive line and talented skill players like Brandon Marshall, Reggie Bush and perhaps Reggie Wayne would go a long way toward convincing Peyton to make Sun Life Stadium his place.

Matt Flynn: Seattle Seahawks

Miami would appear to be the destination of choice for Matt Flynn as well. After all, he has an excellent rapport with new Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin dating back to their days with the Green Bay Packers, Flynn as Aaron Rodgers' backup and Philbin as the offensive coordinator.

But, of course, if GM Jeff Ireland is able to land Manning, he'll have no need for the Mighty Flynn.

The Seahawks, on the other hand, will still have a vacancy at quarterback to fill. They run a West Coast system, coordinated by former Packers assistant Darrell Bevell, similar to the one in which Flynn played in Green Bay. It comes readily equipped with a workhorse running back (Marshawn Lynch) and, when healthy, a No. 1 wide receiver (Sidney Rice).

What's more, a move to the Pacific Northwest would allow Flynn to follow in the footsteps of another quarterback who succeeded in Seattle after backing up an MVP and Super Bowl champion in Green Bay—Matt Hasselbeck, who held the clipboard behind Brett Favre before getting his shot with the 'Hawks.

Not a bad blueprint to follow, to say the least, considering that Hasselbeck guided the franchise to the Super Bowl himself.

Alex Smith: San Francisco 49ers

The crop of free-agent quarterbacks drops off considerably after Manning and Flynn, with Alex Smith as the next-best option on the market.

Smith finally settled in as a steady game manager with occasional big-play ability for the 49ers last season. However, his paltry performance against the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game served as an all-too-untimely reminder of his limitations under center. A few more clutch completions here and there, and the Niners might well have ended up in Indianapolis.

San Francisco would do well to upgrade at quarterback if they can, though there doesn't figure to be any better options available assuming Peyton and Flynn sign elsewhere.

As such, don't be surprised if Jim Harbaugh's boys settle for a known quantity and give Smith a new deal, thereby granting 2011 draftee Colin Kaepernick time to grow into a reliable pro.

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