It's being reported that Peyton Manning flew from Miami to Denver on Friday and had a productive meeting with Broncos' President John Elway, General Manager Brian Xanders and Head Coach John Fox. The triad, known as EFX, were attending the Oklahoma State pro day on Friday when Manning departed, to scout their quarterback, Brandon Weeden.
I wouldn't bet money on Peyton Manning signing with the Broncos - though I never expected them to be considered a contender to do so either - and I understand they're scouting Weeden in the interest of adding depth to the QB position through the draft, perhaps in the second or third round*. Yet, it's an interesting, developing story that begs all sorts of questions: If the Broncos sign Manning, do they keep Tim Tebow? If not, where does he go? Will Broncos fans accept Manning as a replacement to Tebow?
*The 2nd round is too early for Denver to consider using a pick on a QB, but the 3rd would be rational.
The first and third questions are related - would Manning agree to play in Denver if Tebow is still there, and would hometown fans be able to get over the breakup with Tebow as starting QB if he's still on their bench? Manning is good enough that he shouldn't be threatened by having Tebow as an understudy, but those questions that have always haunted him regarding his performance in big moments of big games make that proposition suspect. Manning doesn't handle pressure well**, and having Tebow behind him would place a lot of pressure on Manning to perform.
**Manning's struggles to play well and emerge victorious in important games date back to the University of Tennessee, where he continually struggled to defeat the Florida Gators, alma mater of Tim Tebow. The irony abounds!
My first instinct is to predict that Broncos fans stage a mutiny the likes of which the modern world has not seen if their team signs Manning to replace Tebow - and I'm sure a few will try. But I think that's reactionary of me. Many fans will be excited that the team signed the most lauded free agent in NFL history and will rally around him. Though, the rallying will be a lot easier if Tebow is playing elsewhere.
If in this doomsday scenario for Tebow fans***, what might happen to the young captivating star if his team signs the enigma that is Peyton Manning to be their starter? The easy impulse is to suggest Jacksonville as a willing trade partner with the Broncos, but all Jaguar fans are not Gator fans, and while Tebow would no doubt be a wise business decision for the franchise, Jacksonville is not in the dire predicament in which it found itself in 2009. I still think it would be a good fit and think Tebow could handle the pressure of performing in his hometown, but it's not the slam dunk most assume.
***If Denver is not committed to Tebow, perhaps an exit is in his best interests.
There are other intriguing options out there is Tebow is placed on the trading block. Certainly other teams pursuing Manning would be in the mix, including the Cardinals and Dolphins. Perhaps even teh Chiefs or the Browns, who thanks to Washington**** are no longer going to be able to trade their way up to the second pick in this year's draft to acquire Robert Griffin III. The Seahawks, who have been denied an opportunity to woo Manning would be an interesting landing spot for Tebow.
****I'm taking up the pledge of only referring to the Washington football team by its location from now on.
But my personal favorite potential landing spot is San Francisco. First, it's my favorite city. Second, the 49ers are currently balking at Alex Smith's demand in their ongoing contract negotiations. If they can't reach an agreement and Smith receives what he's asking for in free agency somewhere else, Tebow becomes a viable option. Third, the 49ers are in need of a new stadium, and hope to build south of the city. Tebow offers the economic incentive in additional revenue to make that happen. And fourth, I think Tim Tebow and John Harbaugh would be a great match. He could thrive in Harbaugh's run-dominated offensive system, and Harbaugh has demonstrated the creativity in his coaching career to properly utilize Tebow's unique skills in both the running and passing games - Denver Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy succeeded at the former last season, but routinely failed at the latter.
Personally, I would like to see Tebow stay in Denver. The city and the Broncos fit him well, and as a fan I'm willing to give the coaching staff a chance to see if they can mold an effective passing attack to his skills. But if the Broncos are successful in their pursuit of Peyton Manning - however misguided I feel it may be - I hope they do explore options to allow Tebow the opportunity to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. I hope they match him to both a coach and front office who will support him, whether that be in Jacksonville, Seattle, San Francisco or elsewhere (For the record, I'm not convinced Arizona fits that description and I wouldn't with Cleveland or Miami upon any player I liked).
In the meantime, follow Desktop Tim Tebow (@DesktopTimTebow) for some laughs during the Manning sweepstakes.
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