Will Peyton Manning get cut by Denver Broncos if he doesn’t retire?
John Elway will face a tough decision regarding Peyton Manning if the Denver Broncos quarterback does not retire after Super Bowl 50.
Peyton Manning has come back from what looked like the end of his career to take the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. But while Broncos fans should be celebrating Manning’s resilience, there seems to be a simple question on everyone’s mind: Will Peyton even return to the Broncos in 2016?
The answer to that question depends on what John Elway and the Broncos front office want to do with the team next season. They have a young quarterback in Brock Osweiler who proved competent when he stepped in for Manning this season. A healthy, young quarterback will usually get the nod over one who is nearing the end of a career, even one who has had a legendary career.
To answer this question, it is best to look at the decision from a point in time after the Super Bowl.
If the Broncos win, Manning will likely be on his way to retirement. If he initially wants to stay, Elway should be able to talk him into retiring on top. Even if he is adamant on playing one more year, a trade may be able to be arranged with the two sides working together.
If the Broncos lose, Manning will likely want to stay in order to try and capture one more title. But losing two Super Bowls may be enough for Elway to cut Manning and give the team to Osweiler. Cutting Manning would be a tough move, but one that just might need to be made regardless for the good of the organization going forward.
Broncos fans know that the defense has carried this team to the Super Bowl, and another poor performance by Manning in the title game will have fans wanting a change. They will still recognize him as one of the best, but at the same time one of the all-time greats that’s well past his prime.
If Peyton wants to stick around after another loss, Elway will have no other choice than to move on to improve the offense and keep fighting for a championship while the defensive unit remains elite.