Peyton Manning Rumors: More Signs Pointing the Way to Arizona Cardinals
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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| Colts.com |
Featured NFL Writer
Ever since the reality of an impending separation between the Indianapolis Colts and quarterback Peyton Manning began to set in, rumors started flying out of every corner of the NFL world.
Now that Manning has been cleared to play football in 2012, and the Colts appear ready to move on without him, the list of teams linked to the four-time MVP has grown at a rapid pace.
While some of these potential pairings (think Redskins, Dolphins) seem to be pure speculation based on quarterback need, one team is making a very real and very convincing case to be the future home of the star quarterback.
We already discussed the Arizona Cardinals interest in Manning earlier this week and why the move would make sense. The Kevin Kolb experiment is going nowhere fast, and star wideout Larry Fitzgerald is desperately looking to catch passes from a premier quarterback. The Cardinals have every reason to set their sights on Manning, who is expected to be released by the Colts before he is due a $28 million roster bonus on March 8.
With free agency still a month away, there is little that the Cardinals can do in terms of roster movement to clear a path for Manning. However, Arizona's most recent coaching move puts the offense in prime position to be a fit for Manning, should the move occur.
On Wednesday, the Cardinals announced the hiring of Frank Reich as wide receivers coach. Reich spent four seasons with the Colts, starting as an offensive assistant in 2008. Reich became the quarterbacks coach for the 2009-10 seasons and moved to wide receivers coach last year.
At first glance, the move to bring in Reich might not seem all that important. After all, everyone knows that Manning is more than capable of running the offense by himself and needs little, if any help from the coaching staff to be successful.
However, when you consider the potential circumstances Manning would create, the move becomes a clear sign that the Cardinals are serious about pulling the trigger if the opportunity arises.
Manning is a future Hall of Famer and knows how to execute every play in his arsenal to perfection. There is simply no way that the Cardinals would ask him to learn a new offense if he comes to Arizona. At this stage of his career Manning cannot afford to squander even one season adjusting to a new system if he is going to make another serious run at a Super Bowl title.
A more likely scenario would have the Cardinals tailoring its offense to fit Manning, and that means getting the wide receivers on the same page during the off-season.
This, of course, is where Reich comes in.
It is safe to assume that if Manning lands in Arizona, the Cardinals' new offense would feature many of the same play calls, similar terminology and nearly identical routes. Reich's knowledge of Manning and the Colts' system will help the wide receiving corps make the transition as smoothly and as quickly as possible, which gives the Cardinals an edge over other teams that Manning might soon be forced to consider.
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Related stories on NFA:
Peyton Manning Rumors: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals Interested In Manning If Available
San Francisco 49ers Rumors: Peyton Manning Would be Significant Upgrade in Bay Area
With free agency still a month away, there is little that the Cardinals can do in terms of roster movement to clear a path for Manning. However, Arizona's most recent coaching move puts the offense in prime position to be a fit for Manning, should the move occur.
On Wednesday, the Cardinals announced the hiring of Frank Reich as wide receivers coach. Reich spent four seasons with the Colts, starting as an offensive assistant in 2008. Reich became the quarterbacks coach for the 2009-10 seasons and moved to wide receivers coach last year.
At first glance, the move to bring in Reich might not seem all that important. After all, everyone knows that Manning is more than capable of running the offense by himself and needs little, if any help from the coaching staff to be successful.
However, when you consider the potential circumstances Manning would create, the move becomes a clear sign that the Cardinals are serious about pulling the trigger if the opportunity arises.
Manning is a future Hall of Famer and knows how to execute every play in his arsenal to perfection. There is simply no way that the Cardinals would ask him to learn a new offense if he comes to Arizona. At this stage of his career Manning cannot afford to squander even one season adjusting to a new system if he is going to make another serious run at a Super Bowl title.
A more likely scenario would have the Cardinals tailoring its offense to fit Manning, and that means getting the wide receivers on the same page during the off-season.
This, of course, is where Reich comes in.
It is safe to assume that if Manning lands in Arizona, the Cardinals' new offense would feature many of the same play calls, similar terminology and nearly identical routes. Reich's knowledge of Manning and the Colts' system will help the wide receiving corps make the transition as smoothly and as quickly as possible, which gives the Cardinals an edge over other teams that Manning might soon be forced to consider.
Follow National Football Authority on Twitter: @NFAuthority & @Kris_Knox
For more NFL coverage follow @NFA_NFL
Don't forget to Like NFA on Facebook here.
Related stories on NFA:
Peyton Manning Rumors: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals Interested In Manning If Available
San Francisco 49ers Rumors: Peyton Manning Would be Significant Upgrade in Bay Area
Posted at 6:00 AM.
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AFC South,
Arizona Cardinals,
Frank Reich,
Free Agency,
Indianapolis Colts,
Kevin Kolb,
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NFC West,
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Peyton Manning
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