Peyton Manning: 8 Reasons Indianapolis Colts Legend Should Join Miami Dolphins

In arguably the biggest sports story in 2012 besides Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks, the Indianapolis Colts released quarterback Peyton Manning. The future Hall of Famer will leave the only team he has known since his debut season in 1998 and will instead face free agency to find himself a new football home.

Despite an emotional press conference, which was sure to have sparked tons of reminiscence about the great times Manning had with the Colts, it is now time to move forward—not just for the Colts when it comes to selecting their new quarterback, but for Manning himself when it comes to selecting his new team.

There is a sense of overwhelming inevitability when it comes to whom the Colts will be replacing Manning with—so much so that I needn't even name names—but the same can't be said for Manning's eventual landing spot. There are so many teams in the NFL that could look into signing Manning that it's hard to differentiate between teams he would be best off signing with and teams he should steer well clear of.

I'm going to give you eight reasons why Miami should be Peyton Manning's new home by the time the 2012 NFL season begins. 

Great Receivers

The Miami Dolphins are blessed with a set of talented receivers and you can bet that was part of the reason for the success of Matt Moore last season.

Brandon Marshall, or "The Beast" as some like to call him, has the potential to be a top-five wide receiver in the NFL. We've seen flashes of this since he joined Miami in 2010. His aggressive style and general big-play ability resulted in a couple of solid seasons, but at times Marshall has lacked motivation. Manning shouldn't be worried about this, though, because his presence will be enough to get the best out of the star wide receiver.

Elsewhere, we have Davone Bess, arguably the most underrated slot receiver in the NFL. Bess is always there to bail a quarterback out of trouble and to come up big on a third down. He is just the kind of luxury Manning could need to get back to his very best.

Speaking of luxuries, a pass-catching running back is one of the more sought-after specialists in the NFL, and Miami has a premier talent filling that role in former Saints star Reggie Bush. We've seen the damage a quarterback like Drew Brees can do with Bush, so to think that simply having Bush is a major attraction to Manning certainly isn't out of the question.

Beyond these three, Anthony Fasano is a solid pass-catching tight end and a great blocker. Even oft-criticized receiver Brian Hartline has made a name for himself with his amazing sideline-hugging catches.

Former Colts teammate Reggie Wayne has mentioned playing in Miami with Manning to WQAM in Miami, so there's yet another reason for Manning to settle down in South Florida. 

Just imagining the idea of being able to target these receivers should send a tingle down Manning's newly operated-on neck.

Weak-Side Protection

For a quarterback with such a worrying recent injury history as Peyton Manning, protection from his offensive line is a must.

To be specific, blind-side protection is essential for a quarterback to be successful, and the Dolphins have one of the best in left tackle Jake Long.

The Dolphins' offensive captain has made the Pro Bowl in each of his four seasons in the NFL and if he keeps up the good work he could find himself in Canton come the end of his career. Keeping hands off already Canton-bound Peyton Manning can only help Long with this aim. More importantly, the safety blanket will allow Manning to extend his already legendary career. 

A Chance to Reunite with Reggie Wayne

As I alluded to earlier, it appears there may be an opportunity for Manning to meet back up with long-time teammate Reggie Wayne in Miami.

For years Manning and Wayne have been one of the more feared quarterback-receiver pairings in the NFL and, even at their ripe-old ages, they can still wreak some havoc in the NFL.

The two are almost certainly not going to be playing in Indianapolis anymore, so why not meet up again in the great city of Miami? 

Championship Aspirations

Make no mistake about it: The Miami Dolphins will be a contender with a healthy Peyton Manning in town.

I've already told you about the fantastic offensive weapons Manning would have available to him in Miami but there are other factors that could potentially contribute to the ultimate success for the Floridian team.

The Dolphins also possess a promising defense, which really showed what it could do in the second half of the disappointing 2011 season. With the self-proclaimed best linebacker in the league, Karlos Dansby, leading a unit full of young stars like Vontae Davis, Cameron Wake and Jared Odrick, Manning will certainly have a lot of support from the other side of the playing field.

With the likely decline of the Jets in coming seasons, the Dolphins could find themselves in a two-horse race with the perennially great Patriots for the AFC East. Even if they only make the Wild Card, anything can happen in the playoffs with a bunch of playmakers, a solid defense and, of course, a Hall of Fame quarterback in Peyton Manning. 

The Marino Curse

The supposed curse of Dan Marino—the Dolphins legend who recently tweeted in support of Manning—could also strangely act as motivation for Manning to join up with the Miami Dolphins.

Manning has achieved everything from the NFL MVP to the Super Bowl MVP, but one thing no quarterback has ever been able to do is replace the great Dan Marino.

For someone as competitive as Manning, finally breaking this "curse" could be an intriguing idea to Manning. He'd go where no quarterback has been since Marino's retirement.

Manning is already considered by many as the single greatest quarterback in NFL history, but trumping one of his challengers in his own city could be the confirmation he desires.

Return to Indianapolis

If Manning does end up taking his talents to South Beach (sorry, it was inevitable), the biggest game of the season—without even a hint of a doubt—will be his return to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on his beloved Indianapolis Colts.

The potential for playing this big game is as much an attraction for Manning as you will find. Obviously, not every team is going to play against the Colts in 2012. Joining a team that will face his former team could be of the utmost importance for Manning, especially considering that 2012 could well be his last season in the NFL and thus his last chance to get his revenge on the Colts.

The Perfect Place to Retire

Miami is the proverbial retirement home of the United States and this may well be the case when it comes to football as well.

Miami may not be the greatest sports city and Sun Life Stadium may not always be full, but Manning will enjoy the city regardless. He can take solace in the great weather, the superstar treatment and the hype surrounding both himself and the Miami sports scene as a whole, what with the success of the Miami Heat and the new ballpark for the Miami Marlins.

Most recently, former Jets quarterback Chad Pennington—whom Manning coincidentally beat out for the NFL MVP back in 2008—has enjoyed a slowdown to retirement whilst playing for the Aqua and Orange, so Manning may well want to have himself a similar ending...just maybe without anymore injuries.

He Is Wanted

Just taking a look at the adjacent picture, it is plain to see that Manning is wanted in Miami.

Fans are lobbying for his arrival as we speak. A revived Dolphins team joining the Miami Heat and Marlins could lead to a sporting explosion in South Florida.

It's not hard to imagine owner Stephen M. Ross wanting Manning either, as his history of celebrity-related marketing for the Dolphins dictates that Manning is just the kind of marquee player he would want to represent his team.

If you can find me a better fit than the Miami Dolphins for the potential signing of Peyton Manning, then feel free to tell me who and why in the comments section. But believe me, it won't be easy!