4 NFL teams best positioned to tank for Arch Manning after surprise draft hint

The college football season is upon us, and all eyes will be on the Texas Longhorns. Not only are they the projected No. 1 team entering the year, but the team is giving Arch Manning the reins of the offense for the entire season. Manning has been a highly touted prospect dating back to his playing days at high school. With Quinn Ewers being drafted by the Miami Dolphins, Manning is now Texas' starting quarterback.

But football fans are going to be waiting until after the upcoming season to see if he will declare for the NFL Draft. Manning's grandfather, Archie, recently declared that the Arch would not declare for the draft and instead return to Texas for the 2026 season.

On Tuesday, Arch gave NFL fans some hope, as he pushed back against his grandfather's claims, saying "I don't know where he got that from," and that he is "just taking it day-by day right now."

"So you're telling us there's a chance," uttered the NFL fanbases that don't have their quarterback of the future locked in. Sure, Manning leaves the door open, but we won't know his decision until he announces it.

But if he does declare for the 2026 draft, these four NFL teams have the best chances of tanking for him in the 2025 season. well, not tanking. Possibly being bad enough to end up with the No. 1 pick.

4. New York Jets

The New York Jets are in the midst of another organizational overhaul, with general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn leading the way. Glenn comes over from the Detroit Lions, where he watched the team undergo it's rebuild and become perennial Super Bowl contenders the past two seasons. Additionally, Mougey comes from the Denver Broncos, where he worked as a scout when the team won Super Bowl 50 and was the assistant general manager in the previous three years. Look at the Broncos now.

While we don't doubt that the Jets will get better, it's hard to see them playing themselves into playoff contention. They are giving Justin Fields a shot at quarterback, but besides Garrett Wilson, there aren't exactly multiple game-changers on offense.

The defense may very well carry the Jets this season. But looking at the team on paper, they may finish near the bottom of the league.

3. Cleveland Browns

Talk about a messy situation. The Cleveland Browns' idea to address the quarterback position this offseason was puzzling. With Deshaun Watson likely out for the year, the team signed Joe Flacco, traded for Kenny Pickett, then drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. This resulted in a planned quarterback competition.

It wasn't really a competition, as Pickett, Gabriel, and Sanders all got injured in training camp. As a result, Flacco won the job. Even so, it's entirely possible the Browns keep all four quarterbacks on the roster, and that all of them get a start this season. But even so, the offense isn't that great on paper.

Yes, Sanders looked like the real deal in his preseason start against the Carolina Panthers. Gabriel also looked good in his start against the Philadelphia Eagles. But if the Browns land the No. 1 pick, and if Manning is available, it's hard to see the Browns pass up on drafting him.

2. Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts were one of the other teams to hold a quarterback competition. The team wanted to push Anthony Richardson to see if he could hold off his competition, former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. Through two preseason games, Richardson did the best he could, even through a dislocated pinkie finger. But it wasn't good enough.

On Tuesday, Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced that Jones was the team's starting quarterback, not just for the first game, but for the entire season. Giants fans everywhere said "good luck with that" when they heard that announcement.

Jones' track record isn't the greatest, even with his 2022 season that saw him help the Giants win a playoff game. In his career, Jones threw for 14,582 yards, 70 touchdowns, and 47 interceptions on a 64.1 completion percentage. As a starter, Jones holds a 24-44-1 record. Again, not a great track record.

It's hard to see the Colts contending for a playoff spot with their quarterback situation. Colts fans will see how Giants fans felt watching Jones lead an offense. If the Colts bottom out, they will dream of Arch playing for the Colts like his uncle Peyton did.

1. New Orleans Saints

Another team with Manning ties, and with uncertainty at quarterback. Archie Manning spent 12 years with the New Orleans Saints, so it would be something if they could end up with Arch.

The Saints have a new head coach in Kellen Moore, who has the task of picking the team's starting quarterback after Derek Carr retired. The competition as a whole hasn't been anything to write home about in training camp.

Spencer Rattler has made the most of his playing time recently, throwing for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception while completing 18-of-24 pass attempts in a 17-17 tie against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Tyler Shough was Moore's handpicked quarterback in this year's NFL Draft, selecting the 25-year-old out of Louisville. This summer, Shough hasn't exactly made his case to be the starter, throwing for 231 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while completing 24-of-34 pass attempts.

Moore has yet to make his decision on who will win the QB1 job. Even before this Manning news, Saints fans were undoubtedly eyeing the 2026 quarterback class. Even in what is a weak NFC South, the Saints don't exactly look like a team that can feasibly win the division. They should be considered favorites to land the No. 1 pick.