Benjamin Allbright: Broncos tried to trade Peyton Manning to Texans

Since this is a hefty rumor we’ll need a thread for it:

Predictably, the Broncos have strongly denied Allbright’s tweets, via Patrick Smyth.

It’s pointless to get in the argument of whether this rumor is true or false, so I’ll just make a few observations that both lean in favor of or opposition to this rumor:

  • As several have already pointed out, as part of the exchange in Manning’s pay cut, in return he received a no-trade clause in 2015.  One possible reason why Manning gained this clause was to prevent the Broncos from both cutting his pay and pulling his family out of Denver.
  • The questions will arise as to whether or not Manning is the “style” of quarterback that Gary Kubiak wants for his offense.  From my inferior tape watching, there seems to be enough diversity between John Elway, Brian Griese, Jake Plummer, and Matt Schaub that this doesn’t strike me as a big deal.  But only Kubiak and his staff know for sure.
  • If there are indeed “certain elements of [the] Broncos organization” on Osweiler’s side, then it would be in the team’s best interest to secure an extension for Osweiler sooner rather than later, whose rookie contract ends after this year.  There’s a good argument to be made in waiting until sometime during training camp/preseason to see if/how Osweiler fits Kubiak’s system. But the last thing the Broncos need is for the quarterback position to go from great strength to practically nothing if Manning retires and Osweiler walks in free agency.
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