A report from Mike Klis of the Denver Post indicates that an NFL source believes Peyton Manning’s contract will be for around $60 million with $30 million guaranteed over the course of five years. The source also said that this was the parameters of the deal that both the Broncos and the Titans were working off. The report is unclear whether the deal would be front-heavy or if it would be an even spread.
Ignoring the spread, which may logically be front-loaded, the most surprising number in the deal is the five years the contract would span. Frankly, I expected to see something in the neighborhood of $40-50 million over the course of about three years, but five years seems oddly optimistic, especially considering Manning’s neck problems.
Fans of both the Broncos and the Titans seem very optimistic that their team will be landing Peyton Manning, but it’s hard to tell which of those teams is the actual front runner. The Titans have better extras than the Broncos have. Tennessee has expressed a willingness to extend Manning a “lifetime” contract, and the appeal of playing back in Tennessee can’t be ignored if you’re in Peyton Manning’s camp.
On the other hand, the Broncos are better set to give Manning a winning team now. By signing with the Broncos, Manning would give himself a tool he’s never truly had, a top-tier defense. Manning and Denver would have a mutually positive relationship as well. Whereas in Tennessee, Manning’s coming would only slow the onset of the Jake Locker era, his arrival in Denver would likely, and mercifully, end Tim Tebow’s run as the Broncos’ starting quarterback.
