NFL Free Agent Rumors: Mike Wallace and Peyton Manning Would Be Killer Combo

The Denver Broncos are now suddenly the place to play.

With Peyton Manning reportedly choosing the Broncos (according to Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN) for his next destination, now is the time to build the offense around him.

With most of the top free-agent wide receivers already off the board, there is only one top-tier guy that’s still available. Mike Wallace is a restricted free agent, and ESPNs Jamison Hensley believes the Broncos are now a strong contender to land him:

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The Broncos have a promising playmaker in Demaryius Thomas if he stays healthy, and they can always bring along a Manning favorite in tight end Dallas Clark. But look at the other options -- Eric Decker and Matt Willis -- and you can see why the Broncos might be tempted to go after Wallace. And, if you look at the wide receivers left -- Braylon Edwards, Ted Ginn and Early Doucet -- no one will make more of an impact than Wallace. 

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The Broncos have $40 million in cap room prior to signing Manning and the requisite late first-round pick (25^th overall) they would have to surrender to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Few teams have those assets, and the salary cap number is the most important aspect here, as it will likely take a lot of money to ensure the Steelers don’t match the offer.

Placing Wallace alongside Thomas and Decker would give the Broncos one of the best receiving units in the entire league. Wallace would line up on the opposite side of Thomas to form one of the speediest combos in recent history, with Decker and potentially Clark filling the slots over the middle.

As long as Manning still has the arm strength to heave the ball downfield, Wallace can become the new Reggie Wayne. As talented as Thomas is, let’s not forget how injuries have been a regular issue for the majority of his first two years in the league.

Adding Wallace gives them the sort of depth to survive injuries to multiple players at the position. Manning needs a true, proven No. 1 and Wallace fits the bill.

The excitement level is sky-high in Denver right now, but the hard work has only begun. Now that Manning has reportedly chosen to be a Bronco, it’s time to focus on giving him the best possible team to build around. Adding Wallace accomplishes that goal and then some.

A Manning-Wallace combo would cause plenty of sleepless nights for defenses planning for them, and it would cause Bronco fans to do a dance in the streets. 

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