NFL Rumors: Peyton Manning, Draft, Jets, & Patriots

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning‘s agent, Tom Condon, said of his client possibly retiring: “To tell you the truth, I know that Peyton has not decided.” (104.3 The Fan)

• Dianna Marie Russini mentions that the actual deadline for Manning to make a decision regarding his future is March 8 at 4pm EST.
• Russini adds that this is when the guaranteed money included in his contract kicks in.

Draft

• Aaron Wilson reports that Cal RB Daniel Lasco met formally with the Broncos and Colts at the Combine last week.

Jets

• Dom Cosentino of NJ.com writes that the new two-year, $36 million extension signed by Eagles QB Sam Bradford could be a blueprint for the Jets and free agent QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.
• Bradford’s contract includes $22 million guaranteed, but this includes an $11 million signing bonus that’s pro-rated over the two-year agreement.
• Cosentino mentions that Bradford’s cap figure for 2016 is just $12.5 million, which is what was some expected for Fitzpatrick.
• While the Jets are interested in re-signing their free agent RBs Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell, Rich Cimini doesn’t think this is all that realistic due to their cap situation.
• Cimini expects Ivory to walk if a bidding war breaks out and suggests the Cowboys and Texans as two teams that would make sense for him.
• As for Powell, Cimini points to the obvious connection to the Bills and HC Rex Ryan.
• Should the Jets be in the market for a running back, Cimini thinks someone like Alfred Morris could be a decent fallback option for them.

Patriots

• Nick O’Malley of MassLive.com writes that if any team is willing to take a chance on veteran WR Marques Colston, who was just recently released by the Saints, it’s likely to be the Patriots.
• O’Malley mentions that the Patriots haven’t shied away from signing veteran receivers in the past such as Reggie Wayne, Joey Galloway, Torry Holt, Chad Johnson and Randy Moss.
• Colston offers a big target, something O’Malley believes the Patriots could use at receiver. Plus, signing him would likely come at a reduced salary and wouldn’t factor into their 2017 compensatory picks.