Peyton Manning decision now lies in Denver Broncos court

Quarterback Peyton Manning has decided to return for his 18th NFL season after spending time these past few weeks getting professionally evaluated. It’s not easy to play at this level when one is approaching the final stages of their illustrious careers but he believes he should be good to go. Manning knew he had what it takes to give it one more run but needed to get the reassurance that physically he could handle it as well.

The good news is that the quad injury that hindered his performance towards the end of last season has completely healed. Even though he will be turning 39 years old in March, he’s still in good shape to be able to have another shot at claiming a championship title with the Denver Broncos. It won’t be easy but if there’s anything we all know and love about Manning, it’s his determination to get the job done.

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The Broncos now have the ball in their court as to how to handle this entire situation. The Broncos need Manning in order for them to be given the best possibly chances to land another Super Bowl berth.

They must be smart in how they handle his contract and the eventual situation that Manning only realistically might only have another year or two left in him before he can’t handle playing effectively anymore.

It makes sense for the Broncos to restructure his contract to allow them to become key players in free agency to help add some missing pieces to their team while also keeping some of their own upcoming free agents from hitting the market. They also have to see just how well Manning is going to adapt to new head coach Gary Kubiak and any offensive system changes that might be on the horizon.

It’s also yet to be known how the team physical will go once the Broncos get an idea how Manning is physically and what status his surgically repaired neck is at. While Manning got a professional evaluation on his end, it might not be the same once he takes a physical exam with team doctors. It’s important to know just how things are to ensure the Broncos make the right decision at quarterback moving forward.

There’s no question that Manning is a fierce competitor and wants to do whatever it takes to succeed not just in his career but for his team. The only situation is, the Broncos have some big decisions to make as his playing window is relatively short. They need to see if Brock Osweiler could truly be their next franchise quarterback to take the reigns since one never knows what can happen in the future. Should Manning get hurt next season, it could prove to be a disaster if Osweiler isn’t ready to take off.

Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Colts defeated the Broncos 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Broncos should restructure his current contract to make it more salary cap friendly and then use the extra funds to address other team needs while also giving Osweiler more of a focus under Manning’s watch.

Since he’s a natural born leader, the Broncos should emphasize that Osweiler needs to learn as much as possible through Manning as he plays out the final few years of his amazing career.

Overall, the Broncos have the ball in their court as to how to handle Manning, his future and what to do at quarterback once his tenure is over.

It makes sense to keep Manning around on a short-term deal for at least another two years or so while developing Osweiler extensively to take over once his era is over with the Broncos. That way, everyone will be in a position to succeed as the main focus can then be on chasing a Super Bowl championship.

Next: Denver Broncos: C.J. Anderson and an elite half-season

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