Peyton Manning Released By Indianapolis Colts, Begins Meeting With Other Teams

Peyton Manning was released on Wednesday by the Indianpolis Colts and two days later he's officially getting started on finding out who he will be quarterbacking next season.

After spending a little over 24 hours in Miami where he was supposedly working out with Reggie Wayne and has a condo (and also where a football team who happens to want him plays), Manning is reportedly out west to visit a darkhorse candidate before any other team:

No, it certainly doesn't mean "leader in the clubhouse", but it could give the Broncos a leg up because, uh, first impressions, you know. Of course, the Broncos already have this semi-popular quarterback named Tim Tebow, so if Manning were to sign with the Broncos, what would that mean for Tebow?

Manning is also expected to visit the Arizona Cardinals along the way.

More: The end of an era

Fans in Indianapolis have barely had a moment to process the magnitude of what happened on Wednesday morning before speculation about Peyton Manning's next stop filled the void. Emotions aside, Manning will now shape NFL free agency and change the landscape of the entire league. So where will Manning end up in 2012? The pundits shared their predictions.

ESPN rolled out NFL reporter Adam Schefter in the moments after Manning's press conference ended to offer his insight on the most likely landing spots. Schefter said that the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Washington Redskins were the leading candidates to land Manning's services.

Essentially, any team that needs help at quarterback, especially a team that believes they can make a serious postseason run in 2012, should have some interest in Manning. The key will be whether or not they can afford him and whether or not he wants to play in that city.

Dan Rubenstein and NFL League Expert Brad Wells from Stampede Blue, SB Nation's Colts blog, discussed Manning's future on SB Nation's YouTube channel on Wednesday morning.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay announced the release of quarterback Peyton Manning on Wednesday, making months of speculation official. After some awkward exchanges in the media, Manning and Irsay stood side-by-side on the podium in Indianapolis to explain the situation. Irsay also took a moment to thank Manning and wish Manning well and remind fans that, ultimately, this is about business.

"As a franchise with the salary cap, we're rebuilding and we're definitely a few years away," Irsay said. "I want to see him come back and play great. There's no question about it. It's just here, you know, just like in 2001 when he was completely healthy and everything else and we didn't have everything to surround him, I want that opportunity for him as well to succeed at the end of his career."

For more on the Colts' future without Manning, visit Stampede Blue. Where will Manning's next stop be? Be sure to follow SB Nation NFL to find out.

There was nary a dry eye to be found at Peyton Manning's Wednesday morning press conference announcing his release from the Indianapolis Colts, including the great quarterback himself. Manning's next stop after Indianapolis is still unknown, but he was quite clear that he will be able to play and plans to play in 2012.

"I am confident," Manning said when asked about his readiness to play this fall. "I don't know what these next steps are. This is all new to me. This is the only team I've ever known and I've always known the month of March as the offseason, getting ready to go play for the Colts. This is uncharted territory for me."

Manning likely will not have to wait long to find a new home. He is free to sign with any team in the NFL after being released, and there are no shortage of potential destinations. Teams from Arizona to Washington to Miami have all been mentioned as possibilities.

For more Colts coverage, check out Stampede Blue. Follow Manning's future and all the NFL free agent action at SB Nation's NFL hub.

Peyton Manning's time with the Indianapolis Colts appears to be finished as the Colts announced early on Wednesday that they were going to hold a press conference at noon Eastern time, most likely sealing the deal for the end of Manning's long and fruitful career with Indy.

The NFL themselves announced on via twitter that the press conference will be streamed live on the NFL Network. The Colts website will also stream the press conference live on their dedicated streaming page.

Manning will likely hit free agency as quickly as 4 PM Eastern time today after being released by the Colts. At that point, the frenzy to pick up one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history can begin for the teams projected to want him like the Dolphins, Jets, Texans and others.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, check out Stampede Blue. For more on NFL Free Agency, check out SB Nation's dedicated story stream.

It certainly took the Indianapolis Colts plenty of time to finally decide and get rid of their superstar QB Peyton Manning, but with time ticking down until Friday -- the deadline for the Colts to release or re-sign Manning before he would get an enormous $28 million bonus -- they needed to make a decision and on Tuesday evening it began to look like

ESPN's Adam Schefter has confirmed via twitter that a press conference to announce the movement of Manning will be held by the Colts at noon on Wednesday. He didn't specify which time zone, but his next tweet regarding Manning's status was in Eastern time.

Manning will be a free agent as soon as he hits the waiver wire, which could be only hours after the press conference has occurred. There could be a feeding frenzy to get one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL as soon as that happens.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, head over to Stampede Blue. For more on the NFL's free agency period, head over to the SB Nation NFL hub or the special NFL Free Agency section.

The Indianapolis Colts have decided to pass on the $28 million bonus owed Peyton Manning, meaning the 14-year veteran will become a free agent, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.

According to the report, the announcement will come at a press conference in Indianapolis on Wednesday. However, Manning ie expected to continue to play in the NFL.

Manning missed the entire 2011 NFL season after undergoing surgery to fuse two vertebrates and correct a bulging disk in his neck. Prior to that, Manning had not missed a start in his career.

Manning has thrown for 54, 828 yards and 399 touchdowns during his tenure as an Indianapolis Colt. He also led the team to a Super Bowl win in 2006 and was voted MVP of the Super Bowl.

For more Colts coverage, check out Stampede Blue. Be sure to follow all teh action in NFLfree agency at SB Nation's NFL hub.

NFL.com blogger Jason La Canfora tweeted Tuesday that the deadline for the Indianapolis Colts to release Peyton Manning is Friday at 4 p.m.

According to NFL, no weekend day factors into a bonus now. Thus, latest Colts could release Manning and avoid $28m hit is 4pm Friday

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 6, 2012

The Indianapolis Star laid out a series of scenarios Tuesday looking at what might transpire as the deadline looms.

According to that Star article, one of three things is likely to happen. First, the Colts can pay Manning the $28 million option bonus, which would “trigger” the final four years on Manning’s five-year, $90 million contract.

Failing that, the Colts and Manning could restructure the current deal, which was signed last July. Or, the Colts could not pay the option nor restructure the deal, which means Manning would become a free agent.

Regardless, we should have a better idea by Friday at 4.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation’s main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

With news and videos surfacing of Peyton Manning throwing much better, the rumors of where the veteran Pro Bowl quarterback is going to land are only going to heat up leading up to the NFL Draft.

Miami is a possible destination for Manning, as his image has popped up on billboards and the Dolphins owner, Stephen Ross, hasn't been shy in expressing his desire to land the future Hall of Famer.

According to Greg Bedard at Boston.com, Ross' desire to land Manning, and not the opinions of his new coaching staff, is all that matters:

Peyton Manning to the Dolphins doesn’t make sense, since it would be the Manning offense and not that of coach Joe Philbin and offensive coordinator Mike Sherman. But owner Stephen Ross wants Manning, according to league sources, and that’s the only thing that matters.

I'm sure Coach Philbin and Sherman will find a way to make it work, if they have to.

For more on Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, check out Stampede Blue. For more on the NFL in general, head over to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

With the most recent reports of Peyton Manning working out in Miami and showing some improvement, it was just a matter of time before some video evidence would surface to show that he is indeed not yet ready to retire. The first such "covert" video is now making the rounds showing Manning connecting with receivers in a workout at Duke in Durahm, North Carolina.

Stampede Blue has all of the details as I'm sure this won't be the last such video of Manning we see before his situation with the Colts is resolved by March 8th.

As the video progresses, Manning makes a combination of quick, accurate throws that vary in distance and according to what Chris Mortensen has heard (he revealed the clip via Twitter), this video "doesn't do justice & [it's] only March." Many had called for a video from the beginning, stating that if Manning was actually improving, he should visibly let the world know.

Here is the clip:

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, check out Stampede Blue. For more on the NFL in general, head over to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

The rumors about Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning have continued to run non-stop since the season ended and the Colts snagged the first overall pick in the 2012 draft, where they're expected to select Andrew Luck as their new signal caller. He's been rumored to be both unable to play due to complications from his surgery and rumored to be getting shipped off to teams like the Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and others.

Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz put out a tweet on Friday morning that will add to the speculation that Peyton Manning will play in 2012, and could also add fuel to the fire of him moving to Miami.

Hearing from multiple sources that Peyton is in Florida and throwing much much better

Indianapolis still will owe Peyton a gigantic bonus later in March if he isn't moved, so as the month ticks along the rumors will probably only get louder if Manning is to be moved away from the team that he's always played for. At the very least, it looks like he will be fine to play if his throwing has improved after the speculation about nerve damage earlier.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, check out Stampede Blue. For more on the NFL in general, head over to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

Despite the fact that he remains under contract with the Colts, there is already chatter about teams making a move to acquire both Peyton Manning and longtime Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, should Manning be released, according to Peter King of Sports Illustrated.

Teaming up with Wayne would be attractive to Manning according to King, and would reunite him with one of the most reliable receivers he has played with as a pro.

Wayne is an 11-year NFL veteran who has 862 catches and over 11,000 yards receiving for his career, much of which came while catching passes from Manning. It appears unlikely that Wayne will return to the Colts, who are embarking upon a youth movement that will presumably involve replacing Manning with Andrew Luck, the top-rated draft prospect in this year's class.

King lists Manning's potential suitors (in order of likelihood) as: Miami, the New York Jets, Seattle, Washington, Arizona, and Kansas City.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, check out Stampede Blue. For more on the NFL in general, head to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

The Indianapolis Colts have a big decision to make in the near future. They still need to figure out what it is they're going to do with quarterback Peyton Manning and the huge amount of money he's set to make this coming season via a large roster bonus. And on Friday, the Colts can actually negotiate with potential 2012 draftee, Andrew Luck. That is pending a coin flip to fully determine the draft order, but after that, the Colts can actually get Luck signed in advance of the actual draft.

Still, all of this hinges on Manning and what's going on with him. Bill Polian, the now-jobless Bill Polian joined Fan 590 in Toronto and had some thoughts on the Colts and Manning, and basically the whole situation. Sports Radio Interviews transcribes the interview, and there's a few pertinent quotes. Most notably, Bill Polian things that Manning will play again:

You're of the opinion that Peyton Manning will play again? Right?

"I do. I do. I don't have any inside information other then having spoken to him a couple of weeks ago and then hearing from someone that is pretty well aware of how his workouts are going. I know he wants to. Things are going along well enough that you can be fairly certain about the fact that he may play and I would expect he will."

There is, of course, a chance that Manning won't play again due to his injuries. He's had four neck surgeries, one of them was not known until recently, though it occurred last year. The nerves have yet to heal and he has no throwing power right now. It remains a very real chance that Manning doesn't play again, but Polian offering up his opinion is significant because he no longer has any reason to mislead, since he's not with the team any longer.

Polian also said he didn't know if Manning would be playing in Indianapolis this coming season. He said that both sides need to meet up and that he really didn't have an opinion or any inside knowledge as to whether or not Manning will be cut, or stay with the team.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

NFL Network’s Albert Breer published an article Wednesday evening asserting that the nerve regeneration in Peyton Manning’s arm — not the recovery of his neck — would likely determine how soon Manning can return.

Breet quoted Manning’s agent, Tom Condon, as well as an unnamed orthopedic surgeon "with knowledge of the injury." According to the surgeon,

Usually there’s a long dormant period, where nothing’s happening. Then you start to see that improvement. Sometimes the nerve can be asleep for months, and then you see a flicker, and then accelerated recovery.

The surgeon added that once significant improvement has taken place, the nerve will not degenerate again.

Breer goes on to say,

The bottom line: If Peyton Manning is showing real improvement in his arm strength, as a result of the nerve regeneration, then it becomes a matter of how quickly he’s getting better. And at that point, his return is no longer an "if" — it’s a "when."

When, of course, remains unknown. But in light of the bleak news and skeptical unnamed sources of weeks past, Breer’s reports seems rosy.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, check out Stampede Blue. For more on the NFL in general, head to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

We're still in the 'have absolutely no idea' phase of questioning where exactly Peyton Manning is going to be playing his football in 2012, but it looks like the few -- very, very few at this point -- people who still expect to see Manning wearing Colts blue come September might have some news to smile about.

As reported by Dave Calabro of WTHR Indianapolis, Colts owner Jim Irsay has indeed been in talks with the star QB about him staying around with the team, and said conversations have been 'positive and upbeat'. Doesn't seem like much, but you have to remember that those two were calling each other politicians and the like a couple of weeks ago when it seemed pretty much impossible that Manning would remain a Colt.

Either way, it's likely that Manning will still have to take a pay cut to remain a Colt, and his health issues will still need to be completely sorted before we can start to slot him anywhere, even at his usual home with Andrew Luck most likely coming in.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, check out Stampede Blue. For more on the NFL in general, head to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

At one time or another, the Indianapolis Colts have been totally alright with cutting Peyton Manning, looking to trade him, 100 percent committed to him and completely unsure of his health. At least, that's how the whole saga has played out in the media. The only clarity that remains in this situation is the fact that Manning is not 100 percent healthy, and that itself is a misnomer because it's likely that 100 percent has a new definition with Manning.

If 100 percent is the best you possibly can be, then maybe Manning is there, but it's significantly less than the 100 percent of Manning a year ago, if that makes sense. Either way, there's question marks surrounding his health, ans as opposed to clarity, we're getting even more uncertainty, thanks to Sports Illustrated. SI.com had a report, citing NFL sources, saying that Manning underwent a fourth medical procedure on top of the three that have been previously reported.

While it cannot be determined exactly when the unreported procedure on Manning's neck took place, it was at some point after his May 23 surgery in Chicago to correct a bulging disk, and before his Sept. 9 one-level cervical neck fusion surgery in Marina Del Rey, Calif. The same doctor who operated on Manning's bulging disk in May did a follow-up procedure last summer in Chicago, as a result of the original surgery.

In essence, when Manning had his reported third neck procedure in September, it was actually his fourth. With the added weight of that news, SI.com also reports, via league sources, that Manning's neck has developed bone spurs above the point where his latest fusion surgery took place.

Those spurs won't necessarily physically impede Manning on the football field right away, and he could return whenever he did plan to if the spurs didn't develop, but they are an issue that will eventually need to be addressed. The report says that Manning will likely require further surgery at some point. There's plenty more in the piece, but it's looking more bleak by the day for Manning, who hoped to return at some point late last season.

A decision needs to be made on Manning very soon, given the upcoming roster bonus that is owed to him. If the team doesn't feel comfortable with his health, he could be on his way out, even if there's a chance of returning in 2012.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Peyton Manning has an open door to return to the Indianapolis Colts from owner Jim Irsay, but it would have to be under a pretty specific set of circumstances. The biggest of those circumstances, it seems, has to do with Manning accepting a lesser contract until he can prove that he's healthy.

Irsay talked to the Indianapolis Star on Tuesday, revealing that Manning can return to the Colts, but he'll probably have to do so with an incentive-laden contract.

"We can make it work if he wants to be here,'' Irsay said today. "We'd be excited to have him back and finish his career with us.

"I want him to be able to make the choice. We would love to have him back here if he can get healthy and we can look at doing a contract that reflects the uncertainty of the . . . healing process with the regeneration of the nerve.''

That seems like it might be a rather big if, but Manning hasn't been one to back away from challenges in the past. It'll be interesting to see if Manning decides to stay in Indianapolis if he could get a similar contract elsewhere.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Jim Irsay is quite possibly the most cryptic owner in the NFL today and, after his late night tweets on Thursday, the CEO of the Indianapolis Colts didn't exactly clear things up. The team released the statement Irsay alluded to on Friday, but it wasn't one that answered many questions.

Irsay posted Thursday night on Twitter that "Peyton has not passed our physical nor has he been cleared to play for The Indianapolis Colts. Team statement coming on Friday."

The Colts posted the following statement on their website Friday afternoon:

Peyton Manning, Jim Irsay and the entire Colts family remain close and unified as we continue to work through all the options that relate to his future with the Colts.

The present focus is on the Super Bowl and the great game that awaits.

The statement is fine, but it doesn't address Manning's injury, the issues around the Colts involving the quarterback's situation or anything else fans were expecting to hear when Irsay announced he was planning to release the statement.

It'll be interesting to see what's next, but apparently we'll be kept in the dark for the immediate future.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Since Peyton Manning has been cleared to play football in 2012, his agent Tom Condon told the NFL -- who then relayed it to the world on Twitter -- that Manning is most likely going to play NFL football in 2012. That point wasn't particularly in contention, and teams like the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins have shown great interest in signing the 36 year old superstar if the Colts were to be rid of him. This should end the speculations that Manning was going to retire from the game, though.

Manning is owed a $28 million bonus in early March, and that bonus has been one of the reasons why it's been so widely thought that the Colts would rid themselves of him before the month begins. Tom Condon also stated as reported by Jason La Canfora that that bonus date could be moved back, which would give the Colts more time to decide if Manning was indeed going to remain a part of their future even with Andrew Luck likely on the horizon.

For more on the Colts, check out Stampede Blue. For more on the NFL, go to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

Peyton Manning was reportedly cleared by two doctors on Thursday to play football again after a neck injury sidelined him for the entire 2011 season, resulting in the worst season that the Indianapolis Colts have ever witnessed. They seem poised to draft Andrew Luck and get rid of Peyton Manning, but his clearance to play in the NFL again seemed to have given hope that Manning would stick around with the team he's spent his entire career on.

Colts owner Jim Irsay on twitter appears to have quelled that particular pipe dream with a tweet made late Thursday evening, stating that Manning has not yet passed a physical or been cleared to play with the team.

Peyton has not passed our physical nor has he been cleared to play for The Indianapolis Colts. Team statement coming on Friday.

That will be a team statement that we're all going to look forward to, it might even finally close this particular riddle of where Peyton Manning will spend the 2012 NFL season playing his football.

For more on the Colts, check out Stampede Blue.

Peyton Manning learned on Thursday that he's been cleared to return to football, but that doesn't mean he's actually ready to return to being an NFL quarterback. The official diagnosis is that his neck has healed sufficiently that doctors will allow him to return to the game in 2012, but the nerves in his arms might not be ready to cooperate quite yet.

Manning underwent a successful spinal fusion surgery and "achieved firm fixation" on Dec. 1, allowing the doctors to clear him regarding that part of his injury. The report by Chris Mortenson on ESPN alludes to one other issue, however, before Manning's officially able to return to playing football full-time.

The sources said Watkins examined Manning recently in Los Angeles and concluded the stability in his neck would have allowed the quarterback to play this Sunday if the nerves in his arm had regenerated to a satisfactory performance level.

If Manning's unable to use his arm sufficiently, well, it might be difficult for him to return to playing for the Indianapolis Colts -- or any other team seeking his services for next season.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Peyton Manning sounded like he might not be able to return to playing football when talking to the media last week, but the longtime Indianapolis Colts quarterback was cleared to play on Friday. The big news now will likely be which team he'll be suiting up for next season.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter were the first to break the news:

Peyton Manning has been medically cleared by two doctors, including Dr. Robert Watkins, who performed the most recent surgery on the Indianapolis Colts quarterback's neck, to resume his NFL career, sources told Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter of ESPN.

That report is certainly encouraging, but it goes directly against the grain of a Yahoo! Sports report from earlier in the week:

The nerves in Manning's arm are not healing as quickly as hoped and, worse, don't appear to be progressing at enough of a rate to indicate that he will play again, according to two sources with knowledge of Manning's rehabilitation from neck surgery.

It would seems that ESPN's report is going to be accurate considering they confirmed with a pair of doctors. This news is likely going to be heavily scrutinized regardless, however, as the Colts don't have long to decide whether they're going to pay Manning the $28 million roster bonus he's due in March.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Despite a joint statement from both Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay that was made to dispel rumors (if you can call them rumors) of a schism between the signal caller and owner of the Idianapolis Colts, most feel that the future Hall-of-Famer is on his way out. There's been plenty of teams that have been linked to potential interest in Manning, but few are linked as often as the Washington Redskins.

This is mostly due to the fact that Daniel Snyder creates a big pile of spending money at the beginning of each year that he refuses to spend on anything but free agency. So, whether the rest of the team likes it or not, Snyder has a wheelbarrow full of cash he'd like to send someone's way. Manning fits the bill of risky, high-priced free agent acquisition and on the off-chance that it works out, the Redskins most definitely need a quarterback sooner rather than later.

On Friday, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan expressed some interest in Manning, and now a report from the Washington Post has some interesting tidbits regarding the Redskins' interest in Manning.

The Redskins rank among teams that have repeatedly been linked to Manning, and a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed that Washington would have interest in the quarterback should he become available and recover fully. But those are big ifs, so it's much too early to predict what would happen, one league official said.

Their official noted the issues in Washington potentially putting all of their eggs in the Manning basket, noting that Manning might not be healthy, might not want to return to the NFL at all and, of course, might not be released by the Colts. While the last one certainly feels like a moot point, it's still a possibility, however minuscule. It will be interesting to see where this goes.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

The ongoing drama between Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay has stewed for the last few days, ever since Manning gave an interview in which he expressed his distaste for the housecleaning going on with the Indianapolis Colts. More than distaste, Manning expressed sadness to see long-time staples of the organization have to pack up and leave, but this got Jim Irsay's blood boiling (as basically anything can do, really) and he relented by calling Manning a politician.

It's hard to understand that line of reasoning, but it's likely something along the lines of Manning trying to play damage control and try and lessen the blow of him likely being cut for costing too much, given his injury. Either way, it appeared to be a pretty big retort from Irsay, and the gloves were, how you say, off.

Or perhaps they're back on, as now Manning and Irsay have released a joint statement via the Colts' official website:

JOINT STATEMENT FROM PEYTON MANNING AND JIM IRSAY*

We would like to dispel any misperception that there might be any hard feelings between us.

Since 1998, we have enjoyed a great relationship, based upon mutual respect and trust. We have always been able to talk and address matters we've faced over the years, not just as owner and player, but as friends. We had a long talk today and we want to assure Colts fans everywhere that we are both committed to maintaining our close relationship and to working together through any challenges the future may bring.

Aside from the fact that this seems like an unbelievably awkward way to dispel notions of animosity, one has to wonder what the challenges are that are referenced at the bottom. If a meeting happened today and they both came out of it feeling good (which is still in question), did they actually discuss Manning's future at all?

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Among the teams expected to be interested in acquiring the services of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is the Washington Redskins. Naturally, with an owner like Daniel Snyder, you can really apply the "interested" label to any big-name free agent in just about any offseason, but this is essentially on a whole different level of intrigue, given Manning's ability and history in this league.

Daniel Shiferaw of SB Nation DC tweeted something that is lending credibility to the potential interest in Manning:

Kyle Shanahan on Peyton Manning to @ESPNRadio980 : "If he's healthy, age is not an issue." #Redskins

It's somewhat of an odd statement, given that health is generally dependent on age in many ways, but it does imply that the Redskins are interested in Manning. Kyle Shanahan is the offensive coordinator of the Redskins and, while it's not likely that he has a lot of power in regards to choosing whether or not the team goes after Manning, the fact that he could be on board (again, providing Manning does get healthy) certainly would make Snyder feel better about pursuing the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

The Peyton Manning story appears to be drawing to a close, with the superstar quarterback likely to end up in another location by the time the 2012 season has begun. The Miami Herald announced on Thursday that the Miami Dolphins were not only looking at the quarterback, but that he was the first priority of the team was to get Peyton Manning as their new quarterback, above fellow free agent quarterback Matt Flynn of the Green Bay Packers.

A team source e-mailed me this afternoon that the priority is Manning. This coincides with news out of Mobile, Ala., where the Senior Bowl is going to be played Saturday. A league source there tells The Herald's Barry Jackson that the Dolphins have shown no interest in Flynn as of yet -- not even informal interest.

Now, teams are not allowed to show formal interest in soon-to-be free agents at this time. But at those Senior Bowl practices, where agents and team personnel departments mingle on the sideline, it's common for preliminary signs of future interest to be displayed. In fact, it's almost expected.

The Dolphins have shown no such interest in Flynn.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2012/01/dolphins-priority-would-be-manning-first-flynn-as-fallback.html#storylink=cpy

Flynn is a very young and talented but unproven quarterback so it's not surprising to see that the Dolphins would prefer Other teams have been thrown around in the mix for Manning including the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, but if the Dolphins really are all in on the aging star it's likely that Miami will be his final location. With the idea of him sticking with the Colts disintegrating a bit more every day, it's starting to make a lot more sense to see Peyton elsewhere.

Via the Miami Herald.

For more on the Colts, check out Stampede Blue.

More: Manning vs. Isray

Peyton Manning took to the media the other day to express uncertainty about his future in Indianapolis and that right now, with all the changes going on around him, the building he's called home for 14 seasons is "not the best environment."

Naturally, Jim Irsay was none too pleased with Manning going to the media and bashing his team's environment, so he fired back ... to the media. Irsay called Manning a "politician" before stressing the importance of keeping these sort of things in-house.

Manning responded -- to the media again :

"At this point, Mr. Irsay and I owe it to each other and to the fans of the organization to handle this appropriately and professionally, and I think we will. I've already reached out to Mr. Irsay. I wasn't trying to paint the Colts in a bad light, but it's tough when so many people you've known for so long are suddenly leaving. I feel very close to a lot of these guys and we've done great things together. It's hard to watch an old friend clean out his office. That's all I was trying to say.

"I just want to keep rehabbing and working hard, and when the time is right for Mr. Irsay and I to sit down, I look forward to a healthy conversation about my future. I've worked too hard and have such great respect and have so many great relationships inside the building and out, and it's incredibly important that those remain."

Bob Kravitz of the IndyStar, where those comments come from, says the writing is on the wall: Peyton Manning is done as a Colt. Kravitz says any "sane, sober human being" knows that.

It certainly looks like that right now, and the longer Manning and Irsay communicate through the media, the truer that becomes.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Peyton Manning has voiced his unhappiness with the way the Indianapolis Colts are currently being run by taking a couple of shots at the organization through the media. Owner Jim Irsay isn't happy with that, however, and has taken to the media to explain his side of the story.

Irsay talked to the Indy Star on Thursday, calling Manning "a politician" before explaining that he'd prefer the longtime Colts quarterback keep his comments in-house.

"I don't think it's in a good interest to paint the horseshoe in a negative light, I really don't," Irsay said. "He's such a big part of that and everything else, but the horseshoe always comes first.

"I think one thing that he's always known, because he's been around it so long, is you keep it in the family. If you've got a problem, you talk to each other. It's not about campaigning or anything like that."

Irsay also explained his thoughts going forward regarding the Colts and Mr. Manning

:"This is about health, about long-term life, about all those sorts of things," he said. "So that's a big weight on me.

"It's my responsibility any time you put a player on the field, that it falls to that situation. I think fans have known that this has been a very tough situation, it's been very hard on Peyton, very hard on the franchise and very hard on the fans."

Whatever ends up happening in the long-run is going to bring some criticism, it seems, but at least Irsay makes it sound like his decisions are more about Manning's long-term well being as opposed to just the football and business aspects.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Peyton Manning sat down with Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz for a "wide-ranging, exclusive interview" Monday night. Kravitz’s ensuing article – which runs more than 1,400 words – ran Tuesday morning, and in it Manning addresses an array of topics, from Rob Lowe ("I never thought ‘Sodapop Curtis’ would announce my retirement.") to brother Eli’s pending Super Bowl matchup.

Without ever touching on Andrew Luck or the upcoming draft, Manning also speaks about his future and his desire to stay in Indy:

I just want to pay tribute to all those guys. It’s unfortunate because so many of them have been such a big part of so many big wins here, and this is so … sudden. Their keys didn’t work the next day. There’s no other way to do it? I don’t know. That’s hard to see, all these people leaving.

And I may be behind them. Who knows?…

But I understand how it works. I understand tough decisions have to be made. There’s personal and there’s business and that’s where we’ve got to separate the two. I’ve seen other guys leave places and it was personal. I’ve invested too much into this city for that to happen. We live here, we’ve given lots of time and money to the community and our church, and that’s never going to change. Nothing changes that.