With the Denver Broncos losing the Divisional Round AFC Playoff game to the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday, the 11th of January 2015, what is the outlook for the Denver Broncos for the rest of 2015?
This could be a little premature, but we belief in facing the facts today, in planning for a better future. This is the 2nd time in 3 seasons the Broncos have lost the Divisional Round playoff game, after they had already secured a tie for the team with the best record in the NFL for the regular season, they many questions now surface pertaining to the future of the Bronco’s franchise.
There was speculation the head coach John Fox could be fired, and that was if the Broncos lost to the Colts. The Broncos coach Fox had taken the team to four straight divisional titles, and a spot in the 2013-14 Super Bowl game which they lost embarrassingly to the Seahawks. The management’s expectations of Fox this season certainly were not to lose in the first round of the NFL playoffs after General Manager Elway put together an unbelievable roster in the past off season.
Since the Broncos released Fox, he would more than likely be sought after by several different NFL teams. The Broncos management will likely first look at an inside promotion, considering Jack Del Rio of Adam Gase to fill the coaching void if that happens. The Bronco’s fan base is seeking a change, but I’m not sure that releasing Fox would be the correct move at this time.
Another primary concern facing the Broncos is will Peyton Manning return to play in 2015. Just a few weeks past, Manning said he would certainly love to return to play in 2015, if the organization and fans would love to have him. His performance in this loss to the Colts, lead many media writers to believe that Colts owner Irsay made the correct decision when her released Peyton Manning back in 2012, and taking the Colts in a new direction with the upcoming star QB Andrew Luck. The main question now for the Broncos to consider, is it time for the Broncos to do something similar, and release the soon to be 39 year old QB Manning?
Thus here are some of the important factors the Bronco’s management will have to consider regarding QB Peyton Manning:
- The salary next season for QB Manning is $19 million, and that becomes guaranteed if he is still on the roster, the last day if the NFL fiscal year which is March. If the Bronco’s release Manning they save some $16.5 million of cap space, and with that money the franchise could improve other parts of the team roster.
- The many fans are asking, is Manning playing with his injuries their same Peyton as before. He has not played the same since back in week 11 when the Broncos lost to the Rams. Denver had changed their offense from pass often, to a dominating rushing ground game. His velocity and accuracy also are in question, and then his arm strength becomes a concern. Today we find out he has played for at least the last month with a quad muscle injury.
- If he does not return, the question new becomes, is backup QB Osweiler, who the Broncos drafted in the 2nd round in 2012 from Arizona State, who has been in training for 3 years, and he has the physical build at 6’8″ to stay in the pocket, and pass the ball anywhere on the field.
If you’re a football fan, and bet on NFL at an online sportsbook, you may be one of the many fans and skeptics that would like to see Peyton Manning return in 2015, but on the other side of the coin, it appears that there are some advantages to releasing Manning, apart from letting one of the NFL’s all time greats leave the Bronco’s team, as he more than likely has what it takes to have a great 2015.