5-time NFL MVP, Peyton Manning, has agreed to return to the Denver Broncos for the 2015 NFL season. The Quarterback has agreed to return to football with a pay deduction of $4 million, bringing his 2015 base salary to $15 million. The 38-year old can still regain the $4 million through incentive. Manning had reportedly contemplated retirement after a devastating home-playoff loss to his former team, the Indianapolis Colts. It was also confirmed that Peyton Manning was suffering from a partially torn quadriceps muscle for the last couple months of the season. Now that Denver has their Hall-of-Fame QB committed to 2015, what happens next for the Denver Broncos?
Since 2012, the beginning of the Peyton Manning-era, the Denver Broncos have gone, an impressive, 38-10 in the regular-season. However, in that same span, the Denver Broncos have underachieved in the playoffs with a 2-3 record, two of those losses being at home, and another being the Super Bowl XLVIII massacre, where Seattle defeated Denver, 43-8. Last offseason, the Denver Broncos signed a flurry of notable free agents, including (DE/LB) Demarcus Ware, (CB) Aqib Talib, (WR) Emanuel Saunders, and (SS) T.J. Ward. The obvious plan was to bring more physicality to a team with an already potent offense, and a “Super Bowl or bust” mentality was embraced.
Now that Denver has to re-sign many key players, such as (WR) Demaryius Thomas, signing more free agents will be difficult. Football analysts have inferred that it’s now time for Denver to improve their team through the NFL draft, particularly, drafting young offensive lineman to protect a non-mobile Peyton Manning. Denver is not expected to have any blockbuster free agent signings this offseason.
Denver has hired a new head coach, Gary Kubiak, who is widely recognized for his offensive brilliance. Coach Kubiak is currently “in progress” of building an offense for Peyton Manning, “I think he [Peyton Manning] can do anything he wants to do; you do what your players do best,” stated Kubiak.
Clearly, Manning was brought to Denver to help win a Super Bowl, so the expectation will not change, especially with the money the team has spent. Denver fans across the world will be anxious to see what will happen in the 2015 NFL season.
