Peyton Manning: Veteran QB Will Guide Next Team to Super Bowl

If Peyton Manning's arm is anywhere near its old form, he's going to lead some lucky team to the Super Bowl.

The biggest question now becomes—who will this lucky team be?

I've been openly skeptical about Manning and his potential as a free agent for some time now. Not only do I believe that his health presents a huge risk, but he's very limited as far as years that he has left as a high-level contributor.

That being said, there are a few teams I think he could go to and instantly have success with—the Broncos and Cardinals.

If he's healthy, he can take what those teams already have and make them much better. As they stand right now they are good teams, but with Manning they become great.

It all depends on his health.

Mike Klis of The Denver Post cites former Colts and Broncos wideout Brandon Stokley, who spent some time playing catch with the veteran quarterback. Apparently, Manning's arm is looking pretty good.

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"I saw him for three days at Duke and he was the only quarterback (throwing to four or five receivers) and he threw a ton of balls for three straight practices and the guy looked to me like he did when I was there six years ago," said Stokley, the former Broncos receiver who was Manning's teammate with the Indianapolis Colts from 2003-06. "He threw on Saturday here on a little field and maybe because he had some rest, I think he looked better then than he had last week."

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This is a game changer.

If Manning is throwing like the quarterback of old—six years ago he threw for 4,397 yards and 31 touchdowns—he's going to lead one of these teams to the Super Bowl.

Maybe not right off the bat, but if he's got three good years left in him, he's going to the Super Bowl at least one of those years.

With Denver, he'd be joining a team with a great defense and running game, and they can bring in some offensive pieces around him to help out.

With Arizona he'd be joining one of the best receivers in the game, a good running game, a good defense and a very good head coach.

Even if he goes to one of the "sleeper teams" that may have a shot at him, all of them are at high enough a level to become very good with the addition of an elite quarterback.

Make no mistake, if Manning plays like the quarterback of six years ago, he will be elite.

Either way, the addition of Manning would make those teams Super Bowl contenders.