Cleveland Browns continue to be linked to Peyton Manning

Nov 15, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) fumbles the ball under pressure from Kansas City Chiefs nose tackle Jaye Howard (96) during the first half at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns continue to be linked to offering Peyton Manning a front office role once his playing days are finished.

The Cleveland Browns have six games remaining in the 2015 NFL season and then the (alleged) fun begins.

Once the season comes to an end sometime on the afternoon of Jan. 3, 2016, owner Jimmy Haslam is expected by some to “clean house” in Berea by terminating some combination of coaches and front office staff.

If that day comes, the person that Haslam continues to be linked to as the next savior of the Browns is current Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, who may retire after this season.

The latest speculation of a Haslam-Manning partnership comes from Jason La Canfora at CBS Sports, who pegs the Browns and Tennessee Titans as the front-runners to land Manning.

La Canfora speculates that:

"Given the amount of turnover expected around the league, there are likely to be others who would pursue Manning for a team president/football czar role (his old team in Indianapolis possibly among them), but league sources have continued to point to Cleveland and Tennessee in particular as landing spots for the cerebral future Hall of Famer."

"Manning has a strong relationship with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam from their ties to the state of Tennessee, and Haslam’s interest in having Manning in a management/ownership role are long known (dating back several years to his interest in the Titans at the time). The Titans have already essentially wiped their entire organizational slate clean for 2016 from team president on down in what’s likely a precursor to a pursuit of Manning, who has told friends for years how much he might enjoy living in Tennessee after his playing days are over."

"Haslam has been conferring with his inner circle about how sweeping to make coaching and front office changes for 2016, and ultimately, as much as he dislikes his well-earned reputation for quickly firing people, the rampant failure of his current regime to either win games (two wins since last Nov. 22) or develop players will likely force his hand to reinvent his structure again. Manning is very attractive to him in a role similar to what John Elway has with the Broncos, and landing Manning would be seen as a coup for any owner."

While hiring Manning would certainly generate headlines, we’re still scratching our head over how it would be a “coup for any owner” to hand over the fortunes of their franchise to someone who has never spent even a single moment in a front office role.

The rumored longing by Haslam for Manning comes, of course, from the fact that Manning played collegiately at the University of Tennessee and Haslam is a long-time supporter of the Volunteers. (No word on if Montario Hardesty will also be offered a role with the Browns.)

Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot touched on Haslam’s affection for Manning in her weekly Hey Mary Kay! feature at cleveland.com, pointing out a few flies in the ointment for the Manning to Cleveland talk:

"But once source told me that Manning, who’s idle Sunday with a foot injury and could be done for the season, might want to keep playing after this year. Another said that his wife Ashley, a part-owner of her hometown Memphis Grizzlies, would prefer to stay in the South, which would make the Titans a more attractive option if they call on Manning to be their John Elway."

"Still others in the league wonder if Manning might want to take a little time off before jumping right into an executive role. One thing’s for certain: he won’t be hurting for suitors."

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The biggest selling point for Manning to come in and take over is the assumption that he will be the “next John Elway.” However, and no knock on Elway, but it seems as if the biggest move Elway has made with the Broncos is to bring in Manning to play quarterback.

That move paid off as the Broncos made the Super Bowl in Manning’s second season with the team, but a first-round playoff exit (the second in Manning’s first three years in Denver) has been followed by Manning’s continual decline. And now that he is hurt and, quit possibly done, as a player, the Broncos are back to needing a quarterback – the same situation they were in before Manning came to town.

Now three consecutive playoff appearances and a run to the Super Bowl is certainly nothing to look down at, especially around these parts, but unless Manning the front office guy is bringing Manning the serviceable quarterback with him, we made want to hold off on picking out an office in Berea for Manning.

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