Broncos Discussed Trading Peyton Manning To Texans?

Update:

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media mentioned on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday that there was “some conversation” between the Texans and several teams that have quarterbacks.

“I do believe there was some conversation between the Texans and several teams who have quarterbacks,” Rapoport added. “What it sounds like is that the Texans — without a quarterback and before they signed (Brian) Hoyer and (Ryan) Mallett — reached out to teams and tried to see what was there.”

It’s Rapoport’s understanding that the Broncos did not make any phone calls about trading Manning, but they probably received interest from teams looking for a quarterback.

Mike Klis of 9News is also reporting that the Broncos never made a phone call to another team in an attempt to trade Manning.

In fact, Klis’ source said that they never even considered the idea of trading Manning.

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Mike Klis spoke to a “top-level Broncos source” who said that they never considered trading QB Peyton Manning and were instead focused on him returning with paycut.

Klis adds that it wouldn’t be all that shocking to hear that a quarterback-needy team like the Texans reached out to the Broncos about Manning, which could be how all of this got started.

Klis points out that the Seahawks called about TE Julius Thomas last year, so it’s not as though teams don’t ask about potential trades to gauge interest.

According to Klis, the Broncos were never going to allow Manning to depart. Denver reportedly asked Manning to accept a $10 million paycut initially before the two sides settled on a $4 million salary reduction.

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CBS Houston reports that the Broncos and Texans, did in fact, have “very preliminary” trade talks involving QB Peyton Manning.

According to the report, the two teams discussed the topic before Manning signed his restructured deal to remain in Denver back in March.

Sources tell SportsRadio 610 that the Texans would have had to restructure Manning’s contract had the two sides reached an agreement. However, Houston wasn’t going to pay Manning the $15 million he ultimately received from the Broncos in the end.

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Peyton Manning‘s agent, Tom Condon, tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the report of the Broncos discussing a trade with the Texans was news to him.

“Neither the Texans, the Broncos, or Peyton Manning ever talked to me about a trade anywhere,” Condon said in a text message to PFT.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle has spoken to three trustworthy Texans’ sources who all denied the report.

Broncos GM John Elway texted Mike Klis that the Manning rumored trade proposal to the Texans is “Not true.”

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Broncos VP of public relations Patrick Smyth shot down the report that the Broncos discussed the idea of trading future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning to the Texans this offseason.

Meanwhile the Texans told Pro Football Talk that they weren’t aware of the report and they have no comment regarding the matter.

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Benjamin Allbright of 94.1 FM in Denver, citing a source in “position to know,” first reported that the the Broncos attempted to trade QB Peyton Manning to the Texans earlier in the offseason.

According to Allbright, there some within the Broncos’ organization who wanted to move forward with Brock Osweiler this season.

Allbright adds that he’s confirmed the news with two unrelated official sources, and this would be a “hilariously oddly coordinated lie” if it was false.

The trade talks reportedly took place before Denver and Manning worked out a restructured contract that kept him with the team for the 2015 season.

Manning, 39, has two years remaining on his five-year, $96 million contract that included $18 million guaranteed. He stands to make base salaries of $15 million and $19 million over the next two years.

For what it’s worth, trading Manning would free up $12.5 million in available cap space while creating $5 million in dead money, according to OverTheCap.com.

In 2014, Manning threw for 4,727 yards while completing 66.2 percent of his passes to go along with 39 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 10 quarterback out of 30 qualifying players.