Peyton Manning: No Offense Smith, Schaub, but Your Teams Should Chase Manning

Last time I checked, the quarterback position was the most critical in professional sports. The position requires both immense skill and leadership. Teams that are able to maintain an extended period of success are almost always led by an elite quarterback.

Peyton Manning officially became the most sought after free agent in NFL history once he and the Indianapolis Colts decided to go their separate ways.

There are many subpar teams struggling at the quarterback position that will undoubtedly go hard after Manning. For the most part though, these teams still are a few years away from competing for a Super Bowl even with Manning.

The teams that Manning really should be looking at are those who are a quarterback away from winning a championship. Manning has to know that at the age of 35, his NFL clock is ticking. If Manning wants to go out on top, he needs to join an established team with solid pieces already in place.

When you look at it, almost every team should be going after Peyton Manning. To be more specific, every team besides the Patriots, Packers, Saints, Giants, Steelers and Panthers should at least consider the option of signing one of the five best field generals in league history. 

The NFL is a league in which things can change in an instant. You can be a perennial contender one second, and a team “Sucking for Luck” the next. This league is so unpredictable that when you have the opportunity to win a championship, going all in is the only option.

A perfect example of this is the San Francisco 49ers. They have the NFL’s most dominant defense, and narrowly were defeated in the NFC Championship Game last season by the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

Many 49ers fans say Alex Smith was solid last year and has become a good game manager. I wouldn’t disagree with that. The real question is would you rather have a game manager or a Hall of Famer?

The 49ers are settling if they choose to stick with Smith over Manning. They believe the safe choice is Smith, but in reality isn’t Manning a lot safer considering Smith has only had one solid season as an NFL quarterback.

If Manning is anywhere near 100 percent, he instantly makes San Francisco the favorite in the NFC. Match him with the league’s best defense, one of the league’s best tight ends and running backs, as well as, most likely, Reggie Wayne, who is presumed to go wherever Peyton goes, and you’ve got yourselves a Super Bowl caliber team.

I realize that Alex Smith is younger than Manning and he showed great improvement last season. The 49ers can’t look at going after Manning as throwing away their future, they should look at it as fulfilling their immediate potential.

The Houston Texans are another example. Like the 49ers, the Texans sport one of the league’s best defenses, and also have one of the NFL’s best running backs and wide receivers.

Matt Schaub, when healthy, is an above average quarterback. However, he has never won a playoff game in his career and is routinely injured. No disrespect to Schaub, but Manning would be a major upgrade.

Manning turned the likes of Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie into legitimate NFL receivers. Think of what he can do with proven weapons Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels and Arian Foster.

Peyton Manning can help any team on the fringe of making a Super Bowl reach that next step. Owners view it at as a risky decision considering Manning’s uncertain health and age. I view it is an opportunity to reach greatness.