Peyton Manning: Odds of Where the Quarterback Ends Up Playing in 2012

Before it began, the Peyton Manning saga was expected to be, at the very least, one of the bigger stories in pro football. During the saga, as we still remain, it's arguably become the biggest story in the sporting world and America.

And once it's over, the saga will be remembered for its duration, as well as how it possibly affected Manning in 2012. With that said, here are odds for each of the cities still alive in the battle for Manning.

Salary cap space (before Redskins and Cowboys deduction).

Denver Broncos: 1 in 15

According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, the Broncos not only met with Manning, but have continued speaking with his agent:

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Like several other teams involved in the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, the Broncos have been in discussions today with agent Tom Condon.

Talks are no more than preliminary, though, because Manning has not yet decided where he will finish his career and wants to take today to rest, work out and clear his mind, according to two NFL sources.

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Denver has good odds, because they have a solid defense, rushing attack and, provided they improve at the receiving position for depth purposes in the draft, a passing game that will make significant strides next fall.

The Broncos are also in good position regarding cap space, so from a business standpoint it's a great fit for Manning. Plus, his boss would be John Elway, whose final NFL season (1998) was also Peyton's rookie year.

Arizona Cardinals: 1 in 25

The biggest reason for Arizona's low odds is their cap position. By comparison to the Broncos, the Cardinals are on the opposite end of the spectrum. Also, according to Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN, the Cardinals didn't speak much further with Manning:

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Despite those sources' contention about the Broncos and Cardinals as favorites, Manning has not engaged either in contract negotiations or selected his next team and is highly unlikely to make that decision by Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, when the new league year begins for other free agents.

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Still, we can't completely rule out the Cardinals, because they do have some appeal.

Obviously, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is a strong selling point, and a defense that made big improvements toward the end of last season. Then there's Patrick Peterson who returned four punts back for touchdowns.

Arizona has some really impressive pieces in play to reel in Manning. Lest we forget how Kurt Warner ended his career with the Cardinals. In short, it was solid closure to an up-and-down career.

As for Manning, Arizona is arguably the perfect fit in regards to personnel, but the question is whether the Cardinals can adjust their finances to accommodate Manning.

Miami Dolphins: 1 in 35

One of the teams considered to be of great interest to Peyton Manning, the Miami Dolphins have met with the quarterback. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Manning met with coach Joe Philbin:

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Manning met with Dolphins coach Joe Philbin and other staff members, including offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, in Indianapolis on Monday night.

ESPN reported it was a “good meeting” and lasted between five and six hours.

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The biggest conundrum here, though, resides in Philbin having coached Matt Flynn in Green Bay since 2008. Flynn, another free-agent quarterback, is barely getting noticed because of all the Manning talk and, considering that Philbin is a new head coach, his safest bet is to pursue Flynn.

For as great as Manning would be in Miami with Brandon Marshall, Reggie Bush and Anthony Fasano, that will only last so long. There's much more time for Philbin to build the Dolphins around Flynn, as well as this year's top-10 draft choice.

Also, Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald doesn't believe the Dolphins will land Manning. Never fear, Miami faithful, because the Dolphins will be much improved in 2012, regardless of who's under center.

Tennessee Titans: 1 in 20

Although they are AFC South division rivals, the Tennessee Titans look like the front-runners for Peyton Manning. With one of the NFL's best running backs in Chris Johnson, Tennessee is also where Manning played his college ball.

Also, according to Adan Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN, the Titans may add another appealing piece:

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As Tennessee plots its push for free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning, the Titans plan to host a visit from former Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson, league sources said Tuesday.

One goal of signing Hutchinson would be to make Tennessee even more appealing to Manning, who is close to the guard from the time they've spent together at multiple Pro Bowls in Hawaii.

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Hutchinson is a seven-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection and has great postseason experience. Despite being 34 years old, Hutch can still do work in the trenches and, if he's added, the Titans rush offense would hit another level.

The Titans may not seem like a favorable spot because of other quarterbacks in Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker, however, they are much more appealing than meets the eye as the receiving corps has much potential.

Houston Texans: 1 in 50

According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans are not interested in Peyton Manning:

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National reports that the Texans are pursuing quarterback Peyton Manning aren’t true. They haven’t been and won’t be involved in the Manning sweepstakes, according to multiple people with knowledge of the team’s intentions.

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There you have it, so we can't expect Manning to end up in Houston. It would be, though, a great landing spot as the Texans have a top-five overall defense and a ridiculous rushing game. And how does Manning to Andre Johnson sound?

That would be one fun QB-to-WR connection to watch. Still, Houston has all the pieces in play regardless of who's under center in 2012. The Texans are also not in the best of salary-cap situations, so that makes acquiring Manning even more difficult.

John Rozum on Twitter.