It has been heavily speculated that Super Bowl 50 was Peyton Manning's last game, and that he will announce his retirement at some point early this offseason. In his absence, the Broncos should look to Manning's 2015 backup: ASU alumnus Brock Osweiler.
If Manning retires, he will undeniably go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, as his statistical performance is second to none in the history of the game at the position.
However, there’s no also denying that if this was Manning’s final season, he went out with a whimper. He posted a ghastly 9-17 TD-INT ratio, and his passer rating was nearly 30 points lower than his career average. What was once a canon of a right arm was reduced to a sort of BB gun, and his accuracy on deep throws was simply abysmal. Manning did play better after missing six games with an injury, but even then he was a shadow of the quarterback who threw for an NFL record 55 touchdowns just two years ago.
All of this is to say that, if Manning retires, it’s a good thing for the Broncos. It’ll be even better if they manage to re-sign Osweiler, the now free agent quarterback who relieved Manning during his injury.
Osweiler was drafted out of ASU in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Prior to 2015, he had mostly played the role of understudy, rarely seeing the field due to Manning’s sheer brilliance. But when finally called into action in 2015, he played reasonably well. He was maddeningly inconsistent, but the flashes he showed illustrated a player with an incredibly high ceiling. His athleticism and arm strength are well above average, even for NFL standards. He was able to generate big plays that Manning simply couldn’t.
Many are still skeptical of Osweiler’s future; some feel he will never develop into the top-tier quarterback that his potential suggests he could be. It’s certainly possible that a team looking for a long-term answer at quarterback could look to sign the 25-year-old Osweiler instead of drafting a quarterback, as this year’s crop does not feature a “can’t miss” prospect.
He could be a top 10 quarterback for years to come if given the opportunity to start. If other teams feel the same way, then Denver will have their work cut out for them this offseason. They have several key free agents — including linebacker and Super Bowl MVP Von Miller — and it is unlikely that all of them will be retained.
I would argue though, that with the possibility of a franchise tag looming over Miller's head, Osweiler is Denver's number one priority. As the Broncos proved this year, a suffocating defense and a just-good-enough offense can win a team the Super Bowl. If Manning decides to come back, Denver will have to hope that lightning strikes twice; if he retires and they commit to Osweiler, they can afford to lose some members of that historic defense.
NFL front offices will have to make several difficult decisions this offseason; this should be an easy one.
Related Links:
Brock Osweiler talks ASU football
Osweiler a good fit for Manning-led Broncos
Reach the reporter at bfryan@asu.edu or on Twitter @brennanryan27
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