Who's hurt most if jilted by Peyton? Five potential biggest losers

Stephen Ross needs Peyton Manning to lure back disillusioned Dolphins fans. (US Presswire)

Barring a last-minute entry, Denver, Miami and Arizona are the finalists in the Peyton Manning Sweepstakes, with no indication when Manning makes a decision.

The smart money is on Denver, but let's be honest: Nobody knows who wins and when. What we do know, however, is who could lose -- and I can identify at least five guys whose careers and reputations depend on Manning's next move.

They are the few, the proud, the vulnerable, and Manning's decision has an immediate impact on all -- with some affected if he joins them, and others if he does not.

Anyway, they are the potential losers in Manning Week, and these are their stories:

1. Tim Tebow, QB, Denver: If nothing else, the Broncos have made it apparent that their interest in Tebow as a long-term solution at quarterback is, at best, lukewarm -- and that may be a stretch.

It doesn't matter that the guy took them to the playoffs for the first time in six years. It doesn't matter that he conquered the defending conference champion in the playoffs. It doesn't matter that he had a better record (8-5) in his first year as a full-time starter than Jay Cutler ever did in Denver. It doesn't even matter that he authored five come-from-behind victories and energized a fan base that had been sedated by five years of mediocrity.

If the Broncos hire Manning, Tebow is out, and if they don't ... well, it's clear they're looking to upgrade the position soon.

Look, I understand Manning is a big deal for almost any team, but when you're eager to replace a young quarterback who just took you to the playoffs with a 36-year-old who hasn't played in more than a year, had four neck surgeries and will cost a fortune ... well, let's just say Tebow should start checking realtor.com.

If the Broncos acquire Manning, he's toast and probably is traded; if they don't, he's on the off ramp anyway and moves on sooner or later. In the end, both roads lead to the same place. Denver is not willing to make a commitment to Tim Tebow, and that's not exactly news.

Except now we have proof.

2. Stephen Ross, owner, Miami Dolphins: The guy is enamored with box-office draws, and he should be. He has to put people in a lot of empty seats in Miami.

So he courts then-Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh while Tony Sparano is still on the job, and that didn't work out so well. Neither did last season, when the Dolphins dropped their first seven en route to a fifth losing season in six years. So Ross fires Sparano in mid-season, presumably to get a jump on a big-name replacement, then loses out on that big name, Jeff Fisher.

That makes Ross 0 for 2 and wondering what he's missing to attract top-shelf personalities to Miami.

Well, now he finds out. This time his job is to hire a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback for a team that hasn't had one of consequence since Dan Marino retired -- and, please, that's not a knock on Chad Pennington. I like the guy, too, but he had 15 minutes of fame in Miami. Plus, this isn't the next Chad Pennington. This is Peyton Frickin' Manning, and if you sign him you tell LeBron and the Heat to move over; there's a new game in town.

The Heat have James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Dream Team. The Marlins have Jose Reyes, Ozzie Guillen and a new ballpark. And the Dolphins have ... Brandon Marshall? That won't cut it, especially with nobody to throw him the ball, which is why Ross should do everything he can to get Manning's attention. Hire Don Shula to show him his rings. Take him to Joe's Stone Crabs. Have him play golf with Dan Marino. Something, anything, to make sure he stays.

Because if he doesn't ... it's Matt Flynn or bust, and I don't know how that sells season tickets.

3. Kevin Kolb, QB, Arizona: When the Cardinals acquired him last summer they made a commitment with a six-year, $65 million contract. Now, nearly eight months later, they're talking about Kolb fighting for his job with John Skelton, and read the tea leaves, people. That commitment is gone.

Yeah, I know, Kolb was hurt last season, but he also struggled to fit in -- so much so that Arizona will let Skelton compete with him. That, a $7 million option bonus due the end of this week and an 8-8 record tell you why Arizona is hot for Peyton. The Cardinals believe he can accomplish for them what Kurt Warner did -- namely, put them over the top and into a Super Bowl.

In Arizona, Manning would have All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald as one of his targets, warm weather and 11 indoor games -- only one less than Minnesota. The down side, of course is that the offensive line needs work on its pass protection, and he would be in the same conference as brother Eli.

But the Cards need a lift to get to the next level, and Manning is the logical ticket to punch. Since Warner left the Cards haven't had a winning season, going 13-19 in the process, but with Manning their prospects could and would change.

So, of course, would Kolb's zip code. There would be no reason to keep him, not with the money the club invested in him. Arizona almost surely would have to move him and his contract, with the teams that missed out on Manning lining up for him and free-agent Matt Flynn.

"I know how the NFL works," Kolb said last month. "Anything is possible. I just try to keep my mind clear and do what I can on my end. I plan on having a great year and being a Cardinal for a long time."

That sounded a lot better last year than it does now.

4. John Elway, executive VP of football operations, Denver: From the beginning, it was clear Elway wasn't exactly on the Tim Tebow bandwagon. Rewind the videotape of the closing moments to Denver's come-from-behind defeat of the New York Jets, and you find Elway practically wincing as Tebow scores the winning TD.

Tebow is not Elway's idea of a quarterback because he doesn't play the position as Elway did. For that matter, he doesn't play it as many do. Nevertheless, he wins, but Elway doesn't see a long-term future there and would like to find someone, anyone, to push the guy.

Manning is that someone -- the one quarterback Tebow-maniacs might swallow to supplant their hero. Moreover, he would accomplish two things for Elway: 1) Solidify the position with someone who can throw accurately and effectively, and 2) mollify the Tebow crowd with a replacement they can't dispute. It's one thing to win the division as Tebow did, but Manning won a Super Bowl and four league MVP awards.

Elway can buy time with Manning, looking for a young guy to groom while Peyton is on the job and pushing for the playoffs. But if he loses out on him, he's back to where he was last season -- with a quarterback and an offense he believes can't last and won't allow the team to move to the next level.

Worse, he has major damage control on his hands, both with his quarterback and with the Broncos' fans.

5. Brandon Marshall, WR, Miami: You could put Larry Fitzgerald in the same category here, except what happens if Arizona loses out on Manning? The Cards still have Kevin Kolb and John Skelton, and while that's not exactly a Joe Montana/Steve Young combination it was good enough to get Fitzgerald 80 catches, eight touchdowns and 1,411 yards.

Marshall had one more catch, fewer touchdowns and fewer yards, and that happens when Matt Moore is your quarterback. I like what Moore did, but the guy is better suited as a backup.

The question, of course, is to whom? It won't be Chad Henne, nor should it be. Moore looked more accurate and was more successful. But it could be Manning. If so, Marshall's game would be elevated, and that's a scary thought.

I mean, this is the guy who caught 21 passes in one contest from Kyle Orton (vs. Manning and the Colts, no less) and had a string of three straight seasons with 101 or more catches in each. He is an upper-echelon receiver, but he's not in Fitzgerald's class ... not yet, anyway. But he might be if he has Manning throwing to him.

All I know is that he can be a load, and I like his chances of making an impact a lot more with Peyton Manning than I do with Matt Flynn. That's not a shot at Flynn. It's an acknowledgement of Manning's four MVP awards and a resume that includes a 100-catch receiver in four of his last five years as the team's quarterback.

Besides, if Manning were to join the Dolphins, former teammate Reggie Wayne, now a free agent, would almost certainly want to follow. So you put Wayne, Marshall and Reggie Bush in the same lineup with Manning, and, suddenly, Rex Ryan is talking about more than overcoming just New England.

"It can truly be dangerous," Wayne told WQAM in Miami. "The league might not want that."

Then again, others might.

View the original article here

Is a Super shot with Manning worth the hangover after he retires?

Even if Manning returns to form, that's no guarantee that another Super Bowl title is in his future. (US Presswire)

I call it selling your soul.

That's what any team that signs Peyton Manning would be doing. I still think Manning can play at a high level, but it's not a certainty. And even if he can play like he did before his four neck surgeries, who says he wins a title?

The questions nobody out there is asking are there: What if he doesn't win a Super Bowl? What if it doesn't work? What if he's gone to retirement and hanging with his young twins in two years?

Anything short of winning a Super Bowl would make his signing a failure.

Division title? Not good enough.

Playing in a conference title game? Still not good enough.

Super Bowl loser? Nope.

Win a ring or the move is a failure for the signing team. There would be no other way to describe it.

Let's say Team A signs Manning to a five-year, incentive-laden deal with $25 million in guaranteed money. Let's say it's back-loaded and it's really only a three-year deal, with two years added on for bookkeeping purposes.

Team A would then have three years to win a Super Bowl. In those three years, that team would likely avoid drafting a potential franchise passer.

So it might come to this even if he does win a title: one ring followed by a decade of losing.

Some will say that's worth it. Is it? That team's fans should be like that guy who jumps off cliffs for the shear enjoyment of it with that squirrel suit. Eventually, the crash is coming. The thrill of the ride is fine, and it will be for the team that signs Manning, but the crash is inevitable.

Just look at the Colts.

A year ago, long before we thought Manning's neck would keep him sidelined, the Colts were considered a Super contender. Then he misses the entire season, they finish with the worst record in the league, and now they're blowing up the franchise.

The only thing left is Jim Irsay's wacky Twitter account and that might be part of the purge too the way things are going.

The Colts might not contend for a Super Bowl for another four years. It could be longer.

But Manning produced a decade of dominance and one Super Bowl title. He also helped Irsay build a new stadium and attract a Super Bowl to a city that would have never had it without the house that Peyton built.

For the Colts, it was more than worth it.

But this Manning is 35. This Manning has a bad neck. This Manning is hoping a nerve regenerates just to be able to throw with the same velocity he once did. You can have all the grainy videos leaked to the media you want. Until he lines up and throws for a half-hour, nobody will know for sure if he can do it.

It's like hearing great things about a racehorse that once won a big-stakes race. Then finding out the horse has a bad foot. Would you buy it? Would you even bet on it?

Yes, Manning is a tireless worker and if anybody can do it he can. But it's still risky -- to say the least.

I say he comes back. And I still think he plays well.

But I offer this caution: If he doesn't win a Super Bowl with his new team, that team will have a hard time recovering.

As detailed as Manning is on the nuances of the NFL game, he has to know this deep down, not that it should matter to him. But the team that signs him will essentially be selling the team soul. Just remember that as Manning excitement grips his new city or state, whether it's Denver, Miami or Phoenix or wherever.

There will be only one way to judge whether Peyton Manning is a good move, and that will be if his new team adds that big, shiny Tiffany trophy to the case in their hallway.

View the original article here

Manning over Mario Williams? Not on this free agent board

Picking up Williams to bolster your defense is better than taking Manning on offense. (Getty Images)

Free agency begins Tuesday afternoon, with quarterback Peyton Manning at the top of nearly every board. Considering his resume, that makes sense, but this isn't about making sense. This is about making plays.

Which is why I'd put pass rusher Mario Williams ahead of him.

The reason: Let's start with his age. Williams is 27. Manning turns 36 in two weeks. I know Williams is coming off a torn pectoral that sidelined him for all but five games, but Manning is coming off neck surgeries so serious that he never suited up last year, which means he hasn't taken a snap since the 2010 season.

I know what I'm getting with Williams; I'm not sure with Manning. He could be one of the game's most accomplished quarterbacks, or he could be someone at or near the end of his career, one hit away from retirement.

But that's not all.

Williams is a pass rusher, and you can't have enough of them in today's game. The proof was Super Bowl XLVI, and the lesson we learned then is the lesson we learned four years earlier -- namely, a great pass rush trumps a great quarterback.

There is no better quarterback in today's game than New England's Tom Brady, yet he's 0 for 2 in Super Bowls against the New York Giants' defense. That's not a coincidence; that is a trend.

Once upon a time we talked about "The Patriot Way," but it's time that should yield to "The Giant Way." I mean, if the NFL is a copycat league -- and it is -- why wouldn't you follow the Giants' lead and look for the best pass rusher out there and make him yours?

I don't care if you're set at the position. Neither did the Giants in 2010. They had two Pro-Bowl pass rushers, yet spent their first-round draft pick -- the 15th overall -- on Jason Pierre-Paul. The reason: They believed he could improve a pass rush that tied for 18th in 2009 when the Giants allowed more points than everyone but Detroit and St. Louis.

It was the same reason Chicago spent heavily on free-agent defensive end Julius Peppers. In a division with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, the Bears figured they had to squeeze the pocket to have a chance. So they signed the best pass rusher to a megabuck deal, won their division and came within a victory of the Super Bowl.

There's a moral there, people.

There is no better free-agent pass rusher in this class than Williams. He had five sacks in five games last season. He set a Houston record with 14 in 2007. He's a two-time All-Pro. And from 2006-10 he produced 33.6 percent of his team's sacks.

Only Dallas' DeMarcus Ware and the Colts' Robert Mathis were better, but there's a catch: Ware had pass rushers inside and out to complement him, and Mathis had Dwight Freeney. Williams was pretty much on his own, the only Texan to have six or more sacks in four consecutive seasons.

That's why I'd jump at the chance to sign the guy. I want to see what happens when he has playmakers around him. I saw what happened with the Giants' Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, and maybe it happens with Williams.

All I know is that he's young, in the prime of his career and available. Plus, he fits the job description for anyone trying to recreate the Giants' success.

If you want to be Super Bowl worthy you better have a quarterback. But you better have a pass rush, too. Offenses sell tickets. Defenses win championships. And the New York Giants just won their second Super Bowl in four years with the best pass rush in the playoffs.

Remember that. Then move Mario Williams to the head of the class.

View the original article here

Ochocinco-Lozada nuptials to be chronicled by VH1

NEW YORK -- Cable TV is getting ready to chronicle another sports-related celebrity wedding, this time involving New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and Basketball Wife star Evelyn Lozada.

VH1 said Monday that its eight-part series Ev and Ocho will air starting in September, culminating in a two-episode finale with their wedding.

It should sound familiar: The E! Entertainment network scored its best ratings ever last fall by showing Kim Kardashian's wedding to NBA player Kris Humphries. The marriage lasted 72 days.

Lozada has been featured in four seasons of Basketball Wives, beginning with the end of her engagement to basketball player Antoine Walker, before she moved on to Ochocinco.

View the original article here

Redskins cut safety Atogwe, veteran fullback Sellers

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Redskins have released safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, saying an early goodbye to one of their big free agent signings from last year.

The Redskins also cut longtime fullback Mike Sellers on Monday, the eve of the start of the NFL's free agency signing period.

Atogwe signed a five-year, $26 million contract just before the NFL lockout a year ago, but he was hampered by hamstring, toe and knee injuries and finished the season as a backup. He was set to make $3.4 million this year.

Sellers has played 11 seasons with the Redskins, first joining the team in 1998 and returning in 2004. He was used mostly as a backup tight end last season. He was set to make $1.045 million in 2012.

View the original article here

Want to clean up during free agency? Just follow some simple rules

A player like Red Bryant doesn't get fans excited, but can make teams even better. (Getty Images)

The NFL kicks off free agency Tuesday, which will officially open the mad season, as if Peyton Manning hasn't already kicked that off.

To help prepare for the endless stream of moves, signings, releases, restructuring, agents leaking info, agent propaganda about players and everything else that goes on for the next month or so, I offer Dos and Don'ts for all NFL teams.

These would all apply if I were an NFL general manager, which I often play out here on the pages of CBSSports.com -- much to my e-mailers' chagrin.

Do: Pay big for elite pass-rushers in their prime.

Why: They are few and far between, and rarely do they hit the market. Yet here's Mario Williams, one of the better pass rushers in the league on the market at the age of 27. How can a team pass on that?

Don't: Sign any player over the age of 30 for a big-money deal -- unless it's a quarterback.

Why: Most of the time -- no, nearly all the time -- that player's best football is behind him. So you are essentially paying for past production, rather than future potential. The price is often higher than it should be based on resume rather than the future. That's where teams get in trouble. Often it's the fans who want the name players, refusing to see that those players have played their best football already. Teams have to avoid hearing the clamor and reacting.

Do: Look for guys who are 27 or so and have at least 20 starts in the past two years after having 10 or fewer in their first two years.

Why: It means growth. It means improvement. It means the timing is right. Seattle's Red Bryant: One start first two seasons. Had 23 the last two. That's the type of player teams need to sign.

Don't: Pay fullbacks.

Why: This is a passing league now. They were big in your daddy's NFL. Not the way the game is played today. It's an air league. Not a smash-mouth league anymore. Fullbacks aren't that important. Draft a big slug in the seventh round and make him your fullback.

Do: Grab a pass rusher when you can.

Why: See the New York Giants. You can never have enough of those guys. It might not mean signing Williams to a long-term deal that will be as big as any defensive player in the NFL, but it might mean getting a situational guy who can play in the rotation. Pass rushers are gold in the current NFL.

Don't: Sign anybody's restricted free agent to an offer sheet and give up a first-round pick.

Why: That means you’re taking Steelers wideout Mike Wallace. It's just not worth it for a variety of reasons. One, you have to pay a huge dollar deal with a lot of guaranteed money to even have a chance to get the player. If you do sign him to a sheet, the team can always match it, which means you essentially wasted time doing their negotiating. And, finally, that draft pick would be cheap labor and younger. Isn't that an advantage teams want?

Do: Try and keep your own

Why: You know them. They know you. It's easy to know them as people and as workers in the locker room.

Don't: Get sentimental.

Why: It might be nice to keep your own, but within reason. Don't pay an older, aging player just because he's done some good things for you. Sentiment is for losers. The Steelers have always done a great job letting veteran players walk and replacing them with younger, faster, better talent. That's the way it should be.

Do: Find a bigger corner you can move to safety.

Why: Look at the Houston secondary. They start four players who have started at corner in their careers. That's the prototype secondary -- provided they improve at one corner spot -- for the modern NFL game. Jacksonville hit on Dwight Lowery, a former corner, who started at safety last year. PS: Lowery is an unrestricted free agent.

Don't: Pay big money and project quarterbacks with limited starts as future franchise passers.

Why: They haven't started for a reason. Sometimes, it works out. Mark Brunell did a nice job in Jacksonville. Matt Schaub has done the same in Houston. But there are too many flops. Guys like Rob Johnson, Scott Mitchell and some might even throw in Kevin Kolb and Matt Cassel -- two average players who start. There is a reason Matt Flynn went in the seventh round. He can be solid, but he will never be a star. Be careful how you pay him.

Do: Try to find a third-down back -- for the right price.

Why: I hate the idea of paying feature backs, but I love the idea of giving a third-down backs the right contract. Getting backs involved in the passing game, even on early downs, is about to become an even bigger part of offensive football. The Saints did it with Darren Sproles last year and I think Atlanta will do it more with Jacquizz Rodgers this year. The pass-catching backs, the kind who can turn a screen pass into a 60-yard scoring play, are valuable commodities.

Don't: Sign corners who can't run.

Why: Larry Brown. Remember him? He had two picks in a Super Bowl for the Cowboys and the Raiders signed him to a big deal the next spring. He wasn't fast enough to be a top corner and was considered an Oakland flop. You have to run to play that position, with rare exceptions.

Do: Try to find a second or third receiver for the right price.

Why: With so many spread formations, you need that guy. This comes with a caveat: Do not try and make that second guy a No. 1 receiver. That doesn't work. You are what you are. A Mario Manningham is never going to be a No. 1 receiver. So be rational.

Don't: Sign two-down, run-stuffing linebackers.

Why: This is a passing league. The nickel corner is now more valuable. The run-stuffing linebacker comes off on passing downs, and we know there are a lot more of those these days.

Do: Sign hard-working, good locker-room guys.

Why: Transition can be tough. You want the right people inside the building. Not Saints, mind you, but hard workers.

Don't: Pay Randy Moss.

Why: See above. He has loafed. He isn't a great teammate. And, oh yeah, he's old.

View the original article here

Steelers tender offer to Wallace, could match any offers

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have tendered an offer to restricted free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace.

The Steelers did not release what the players were tendered, though general manager Kevin Colbert said recently the team would do what it could to keep Wallace. The Steelers have the right to match any offer made to Wallace or would receive compensation if he signs with another team, likely a first-round draft pick.

Wallace made the Pro Bowl this season after leading the Steelers with 72 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011. He's one of the NFL's top deep threats with an average of 18.7 yards per reception.

The Steelers also tendered offers to CB Keenan Lewis, S Ryan Mundy, TE David Johnson and offensive linemen Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster.

View the original article here