AFC East: Colts release Peyton Manning
Poll Friday: Best Manning supporting cast
March, 9, 2012
3/09/12
11:00
AM ET
By
James Walker | ESPN.com
There is a lot of debate in the AFC East blog about which division team is the better fit for free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning. The future Hall of Famer is available, and is expected to choose a new team within the next week.
But in our latest edition of "Poll Friday," we want our community to play the role of Manning. If you were the quarterback, which AFC East team has the best supporting cast: Miami or New York?
The Dolphins are considered one of the favorites, and have several good pieces on offense. They have a Pro Bowl receiver (Brandon Marshall), a Pro Bowl left tackle (Jake Long), and a 1,000-yard running back (Reggie Bush). The defense also is solid and would work well with a high-scoring offense.
Or do the Jets provide Manning with better players? New York has three Pro Bowlers on the offensive line, and a good receiver in Santonio Holmes (when he's not disgruntled). Dustin Keller is certainly an upgrade at tight end over Miami, and the Jets' defense ranked fifth in the NFL last season.
Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which team provides the better supporting cast for Manning. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.
But in our latest edition of "Poll Friday," we want our community to play the role of Manning. If you were the quarterback, which AFC East team has the best supporting cast: Miami or New York?
The Dolphins are considered one of the favorites, and have several good pieces on offense. They have a Pro Bowl receiver (Brandon Marshall), a Pro Bowl left tackle (Jake Long), and a 1,000-yard running back (Reggie Bush). The defense also is solid and would work well with a high-scoring offense.
Or do the Jets provide Manning with better players? New York has three Pro Bowlers on the offensive line, and a good receiver in Santonio Holmes (when he's not disgruntled). Dustin Keller is certainly an upgrade at tight end over Miami, and the Jets' defense ranked fifth in the NFL last season.
Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which team provides the better supporting cast for Manning. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.
There is very little to criticize about the career of future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. He's a complete quarterback on the field -- one of the best of all-time -- and a standup citizen off the field.
But if there is one thing you might be able to nitpick about Manning throughout his career, it's that he likes control -- and plenty of it. Once Manning proved himself in Indianapolis, the offense, playbook -- everything was built around Manning. He was essentially the quarterback, offensive coordinator and, to some degree, the head coach when the Colts had the football. AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky examined this topic Wednesday.
In the AFC East, are the Miami Dolphins willing to hand Manning the type of unquestioned offensive control he had in Indianapolis?
We've seen it every week: A play is called, and Manning goes to the line and changes it two or three times into a play he likes better. Usually, it works. But at the same time it's tough on a head coach and offensive play-caller, who doesn't have nearly as much control as with other quarterbacks.
The topic of control is a quiet but important one for Manning. He's not going to join a team unless he has a lot freedom in the offense.
That's not a concern for Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who is not a football guy and desperately wants Manning to make a splash and sell tickets. General manager Jeff Ireland probably cares to some degree, but not too much. The brunt of this falls on rookie head coach Joe Philbin and offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, who are both considered good offensive minds.
Philbin and Sherman are in the process of implementing a West Coast offense, a system Manning didn't run in Indianapolis. Manning won't be a spoke in the wheel. He has all the leverage and needs to be convinced he's the biggest cog and decision-maker on offense. If Manning can't get that in Miami, he will get it in Arizona, New York, or somewhere else.
Marshall Faulk: No NFC for Peyton Manning
March, 7, 2012
3/07/12
3:12
PM ET
By
James Walker | ESPN.com
Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk is a former teammate and close friend of quarterback Peyton Manning. That is why you have to take Faulk's opinion seriously when he says Manning will not go to the NFC and the Miami Dolphins are potential favorites.
ManningFaulk seemed adamant Wednesday that you can pretty much cross off 16 NFC teams, including the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Redskins, who are both considered strong contenders to sign Manning.
"If you're in the NFC, you're out. The Mannings (won't) play a regular-season game," said Faulk, also referring to quarterback Eli Manning of the New York Giants. "They're not gonna stop each other from going to the Super Bowl. Meeting in the Super Bowl? How great would that be for the family?"
Faulk continued by saying "There's no way, there's no way, there's no way" when NFC teams were mentioned. Faulk didn't seem as sure where Manning will land but mentioned Miami as a possibility.
"Matt Flynn just doesn't do it," Faulk said. "(He's) not Aaron Rodgers, let's be honest."
If Faulk is accurate about his good friend, Peyton Manning, this is an interesting development. Teams like the Dolphins and New York Jets would basically have their competition cut in half, especially with strong suitors like Arizona, Seattle and Washington out of the mix. We will see if Faulk's prediction holds true.

"If you're in the NFC, you're out. The Mannings (won't) play a regular-season game," said Faulk, also referring to quarterback Eli Manning of the New York Giants. "They're not gonna stop each other from going to the Super Bowl. Meeting in the Super Bowl? How great would that be for the family?"
Faulk continued by saying "There's no way, there's no way, there's no way" when NFC teams were mentioned. Faulk didn't seem as sure where Manning will land but mentioned Miami as a possibility.
"Matt Flynn just doesn't do it," Faulk said. "(He's) not Aaron Rodgers, let's be honest."
If Faulk is accurate about his good friend, Peyton Manning, this is an interesting development. Teams like the Dolphins and New York Jets would basically have their competition cut in half, especially with strong suitors like Arizona, Seattle and Washington out of the mix. We will see if Faulk's prediction holds true.
Ask the New York Jets about Peyton Manning this offseason, and you will get some of the most sideways, non-committal answers you will ever hear.
The message ranged somewhere between "Mark Sanchez is our quarterback" to "we won't rule anything out" regarding Manning. What does that all amount to? Who knows?
But we are about to find out how much confidence the Jets truly have in Sanchez. Manning, the soon-to-be former Indianapolis Colts quarterback, is about to become available and there will be several teams quickly jumping into the Manning sweepstakes.
It's unknown if the Jets will join the Manning party. The team seems committed to Sanchez for at least one more year. But New York also could have put out the Manning fires a long time ago and chose not to.
Several teams, including the AFC East rival Miami Dolphins, have made it clear that Manning is a priority. That would be extremely dangerous for the Jets to face Tom Brady and Manning four times a year within the division. That may be enough to convince the Jets to try to recruit Manning for themselves.
New York's salary cap space isn't the best, and Sanchez is due to make a lot of money next year. Monetarily is doesn't look like the Jets are in position for Manning. But maybe the Jets have been dodging the Manning question for a reason.
Get the helicopter warmed up, Miami Dolphins.
The moment has arrived. It's time for the Dolphins' organization to make their best pitch to soon-to-be free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Indianapolis Colts will release Manning and hold a news conference on Wednesday. The deadline to pay Manning a $28 million roster bonus is Thursday, and there was zero chance the Colts would fork over that kind of money for a quarterback who missed the entire 2011 season.
But that won't stop the Dolphins and several other teams for knocking down Manning's door any day now. Miami is projected as one of the favorites. Other teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins and New York Jets also are rumored to have interest.
The Dolphins and owner Stephen Ross want to make a splash this offseason. They tried everything from helicopter rides to offering big money to head coach Jeff Fisher, who spurned Miami to join the St. Louis Rams. Ross and Co. will try to put their best foot forward again with Manning.
The timing is perfect for Miami. Free agency doesn't start until next Tuesday, which gives the Dolphins time to gauge whether Manning is legitimately interested in coming to Miami. We listed all the reasons why the Dolphins are a great fit here. But if it doesn't work out, Miami still has enough time to transition to Plan B and go after former Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn in free agency.
Manning, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, is one of the biggest names ever to reach free agency. Business is about to pick up.
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