The Kansas City Chiefs Should Up The Ante For QB Peyton Manning
The intensity keeps dialing up in the race to sign free agent quarterback Peyton Manning. It’s been argued here already that Kansas City is the perfect place for Manning to land. Now a report by John Clayton of ESPN.com tells us that of the serious suitors for Manning, the Chiefs are in the second-best salary cap position of any contender.
Well, actually Clayton ranks KC third, but at the top of the list was Washington, who is now off the board after the exorbitant draft-pick splurge to get Robert Griffin III (well, unless the ‘Skins want to also spend out for Manning and in the world of Daniel Snyder nothing is truly impossible). But the #2 team on the list is Seattle and try as I might, I can’t picture Peyton ending his career in the Pacific Northwest. But Kansas City ranks higher in cap flexibility than Miami or Denver, the two teams who have dominated the early part of Peyton’s Plane Tour of America.
That Kansas City is still being mentioned in the discussions about where the future Hall of Fame quarterback might land, but not at the head of the list perhaps bodes well. It’s not unusual for a high-priced free agent bidding war to be won by an under-the-radar team that focused its energy on negotiating a deal rather than making headlines. But the fact Denver has decided to be a serious player ups the ante for Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli. He’s put together a team that can win the AFC West in 2012 as presently constructed and possibly do more with Manning. He loses all of that if Peyton ends up in the Rocky Mountains.
It’s worth the Chiefs’ while to be a serious bidder if nothing else just to drive up the asking price. Perhaps Denver gets priced out of the market. Or if Manning signs there, it’s at a cost that makes sure the Broncos will be hamstrung in future years. Here is a key selling point the Chiefs have for Manning–they not only have a team in place, not only can pay him top dollar, but if the quarterback can play three more years–and if his neck is healthy that’s certainly reasonable–Kansas City can offer him the flexibilty to make a real run at a Super Bowl each of those seasons.
The stakes are too high for Kansas City to be timid and there’s nothing to lose by an all-out drive for Manning.
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