Peyton Manning cannot come to the Jets. He shouldn’t. He won’t. No way. No how.
Ever since the Colts were presented with the $28 million question people in New York were debating whether the Jets should bring in the future Hall of Famer. There’s no real reason to think they would, but that’s what we do in New York City. We’re bigger than you. We have more media than you. We are entitled to have the best of the best.
The Daily News reported almost immediately after the Colts finally confirmed that Manning would be released that an anonymous Jets player said the team “needs to go get him.”
No word on whether that anonymous player was Santonio Holmes.
You can bet it wasn’t someone who knows anything about how things work in the NFL.
The Jets have a quarterback, by the way. His name is Mark Sanchez and he’s young, talented and he took the team to two-straight AFC Championship games. He’s also inconsistent.
For starry-eyed individuals that pretty much means it’s time to give up on him. Buh-bye. That five-year, $44.5 million contract he signed back in 2009? Eat it. Trade it. Whatever. Bring me Peyton.
Manning will be 36 in a few weeks. He’s had not one, but three major neck surgeries. No one knows more about Manning’s health status than the team he’s played 14 years for.
And what happens when you’ve ditched your franchise quarterback — the guy you’ve spent three years building — for a guy who may never play again after one unfortunate hit?
Those that want Manning in green and white don’t answer those questions. It’s not their money. Forget the fact that Wayne Hunter couldn’t block a tackling dummy. Forget that D’Brickashaw Ferguson regressed dramatically last season. Forget about the fact that it’s highly unlikely Manning would want to play for a braggard of a coach, in the same city his brother has won two Lombardi Trophies. We’re New York City. We need Peyton Manning. We need the best.
No, Jets fans. If you think you need Manning, you don’t know what you need.
You need a team, not a figment of your imagination.
Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports and send him your thoughts.
