Handicapping the race for Peyton Manning

Published March 7, 2012 5:00am EST



Miami Dolphins

 

Why he will sign there » The owner might be the most desperate. The Dolphins have playmakers in place and a solid defense. Manning owns a home here.

Why he won’t » The Dolphins have a rookie coach and an owner who has fallen short in pursuit of other big names.

Seattle Seahawks

Why he will sign there » The Seahawks are reportedly willing to spend big and likely would sign former Manning teammates as well, and their defense is good.

Why he won’t » Their line needs a lot of work, and it won’t work unless more playmakers are added.

Washington Redskins

Why he will sign there » His respect for Mike Shanahan and a good defense — and the Redskins have approximately $40 million in cap room and a high pick.

Why he won’t » He reportedly does not relish playing brother Eli twice a year. Also, they have cap room but a lot of work to do.

Arizona Cardinals

Why he will sign there » Larry Fitzgerald is arguably the game’s best receiver. They also play in a dome and have an offensive-minded coach.

Why he won’t »

Their defense isn’t as good as the others, and they need to make more moves to free up cap space to improve more.

New York Jets

Why he will sign there » They have a terrific defense and playmakers on the roster. They’ve been close to getting to the Super Bowl twice.

Why he won’t » Their locker room is a mess, and after 14 years in Indianapolis, would he want the circus of playing in New York?

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