John Elway believes Peyton Manning will be back in 2015

Denver Broncos executive John Elway came out and said that he personally believes quarterback Peyton Manning will return in 2015.

From Week 11 till their loss in the Divisional Round against the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning was clearly not the same player he was from the beginning of the season. Even though it was reported that Manning battled a thigh injury for much of the second half of the 2014 NFL season, it was clear that Manning lost some zip on his passes and it showed in their loss against the Colts.

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After the Denver Broncos’ loss in the playoffs, much was made that Manning was contemplating retirement. To be fair, Manning was regressing tremendously and it didn’t look so good when he hugged his kids after the loss. The day after the Broncos lost in the playoffs, head coach John Fox was fired and that put up even more questions regarding Manning and if he would retire or not.

According to general manager John Elway, he believes that Manning will be back in 2015.

If Elway’s words are in fact true, if Manning has a healthy offseason and he gains some strength back in his arm, he will be coming back to a team that has a ton of talent. Before the 2014 season, the Broncos brought in key free agents like defensive studs DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib.

While both of these players bolstered the defense, Manning’s downfall towards the end of the season was the main reason for the team’s regression. Because of Manning becoming less of a threat, the Broncos started to rely more on C.J. Anderson in the running game.

With Gary Kubiak in as the new coach for the 2015 season, it may seem like the Broncos will have some problems. However, if they can improve their offensive line this season and get even more protection for Manning, they could very well be a contender for Super Bowl 50. For the Broncos to win the Super Bowl, they will need a healthy Manning. Regardless, it’s better to have Manning than an inexperienced guy like Brock Osweiler take over the ranks. With Elway’s comment, Broncos fans have to be optimistic over next year.

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